


Undone – An Alteration of The most memorable Wedding

by katie1999



Category: Zorro (TV 1990)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 42,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26549233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katie1999/pseuds/katie1999
Summary: 'The most memorable wedding' ended almost too good to be true. What if the story didn't turn out so happily and Victoria lost Diego on their wedding day? But then there is another chance to change the horrible outcome when they are thrown back in time and try to undo the previous events. The story starts after chapter 5 of The most memorable Wedding with an alternate turn of events.The numbers of the Chapters don't match with the number AO3 has assigned to the chapters because I start with a prologue which should be Chapter 0 but AO3 won't allow that and numbers it Chapter 1. Therefore Chapter 1 in the story is Chapter 2 on this page and so on.
Relationships: Victoria Escalante/Diego de la Vega
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

Prologue

“Arrest Zorro!” the alcalde shouted pointing at Diego. These word would be forever ingrained in Victoria's mind. With horror she had to watch the soldiers lead Diego away from the altar straight to the gallows that had been erected inside the cuartel in anticipation of Zorro's arrest.  
Despite the protests of her and his father that Diego couldn't be Zorro, the alcalde ordered to hang him instantly to make sure that Zorro couldn't escape again. She had to watch him die within the hour of their wedding as she had always feared. Sobbing, she sank to the ground, her body convulsing from her grief. When she felt the sharp pain and the warm fluid between her legs, she knew she had lost her child as well. “Please,” she prayed. “Please, don't let this happen. I can't lose them both. Please.” She remembered nothing more as darkness engulfed her.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

When Victoria woke up in her bed in the morning, she couldn't remember how she had gotten into her bed in the tavern after she had broken down in front of the gallows and lost consciousness. Someone must have carried her back to the tavern and taken care of her. The light shining through the window shutters gave the impression of a gray day instead of the bright light of the previous days and she only found it fitting after all that had happened. She wanted to stay in bed instead of getting up to work.   
“Mama, what am I going to do now?” she cried, as she turned to the picture of her mother on her nightstand. She reached for the small frame but then something odd struck her, making her sit up. The frame was completely whole! How could that be? Only two days ago, a sudden blast of wind had blown it from her nightstand and completely shattered it. She had been able to save the drawing of her mother, but the frame had been beyond fixing. Had someone replaced it last night? But it was the same frame, showing the use from touching and holding.  
As she looked around in her room, she noticed the Easter decorations on display that she had packed away after Easter three weeks ago. What was going on?  
Unable to stay in bed any longer, she rose and opened the shutters to look around. It was a gray day as it was typical for March and also the trees and plants hadn't started blooming yet, looking different from what they had yesterday. Confused, she got ready and dressed for the day though she had no idea how to go through it.

It wasn't long when there was some banging on the door and when she opened, Mendoza was standing in front.  
“Why isn't the tavern open yet? I've been riding the whole morning to chase the Ramirez brothers and arrest them.”

“What did they do again? Wasn't it enough the alcalde falsely accused them of robbing the post coach?” Victoria asked. “If it hadn't been for Zorro they would have been hanged for something they didn't do.”   
“What do you mean with again?” Mendoza asked, confused. “They robbed the post coach two days ago and killed all passengers except the driver who survived and could describe them.”

“But that can't be. That happened last month and Zorro proved their innocence,” Victoria objected.

“What are you talking about, Señorita?” Mendoza said. “This was the only coach robbery in the last six months. Thanks to our well-trained garrison, the bandits no longer rob the coach because they know we will find and hang them.”

“Ha! You call that clumsy bunch of soldiers well-trained? The garrison wouldn't be able to catch any bandits if it weren't for Zorro's help,” Victoria snorted, before she left quickly for the kitchen to fetch his order. The thought of Zorro brought the tears back into her eyes and she didn't want to cry in front of her guest.

It took her a moment to compose herself again, before she was ready to serve him. If she hadn't just put the glass in front of Mendoza, she would have dropped it, as she saw her next customers. 

“Diego?” Victoria stared at him as he entered the tavern with his father, heading for Mendoza's table. How could Diego be standing there when she had seen him die the day before? Was this a dream? If so, she never wanted to wake up again. 

“Is something wrong?” Diego asked, noticing her strange look.

“It's just good to see you,” she stammered, while she continued looking at him.

“Señorita Victoria, please bring us some wine,” Sergeant Mendoza ordered with a grin, knowing that Diego never drank wine but didn't mind paying for it.

When Victoria returned to the kitchen, Diego excused himself and followed her. Unable to keep her hands from shaking, Victoria had put down her tray on the kitchen table and turned around to face him.

“Are you all right, Victoria? You have been acting strange today.” Then he noticed her shaking. “What's wrong?” Diego put his hands around her upper arms to steady her.

“Tell me what day is today?” Victoria asked insecurely.

“It's the twenty-first of March, the first day of Spring and only eleven days until Easter. Why do you ask?”

“Then it's not the nineteenth of April?” she asked. “It's still March?”

“Yes, why do you ask? What's wrong?” 

Victoria stared at him, searching for words. When she suppressed a sob, Diego became truly concerned. Hiding her face behind her hand, she reached for him. He opened his arms and she put her head on his chest. “It's so good to see you alive and to feel you,” she cried. “Please hold me and tell me that I'm not dreaming. Tell me that the nightmare is over.” 

“Victoria, what are you talking about?” Diego asked, confused. 

Desperately, she clung to him. “Please let it be March again and not a dream,” she whispered. “I can't go on without you. Please.” Then she rose to her tiptoes and kissed him. “I know who you are.” Victoria smiled at his surprised face as she lowered herself back on her feet.

“How?” he asked. With her hands resting on his chest, she raised her head to look at him. 

“I don't have time to explain now while I need to serve my customers, but do you have time to come back after lunch when the tavern is closed for siesta?” 

“Sure,” he agreed. “I want to know what is going on.”

“I'll explain later,” she promised, but when she wanted to rush back to the main room, Diego held her back and kissed her, smiling broadly when he released her again.

“You'll have a lot to explain, Querida.” Gently, he caressed her cheek. His tenderness made her lose her composure again. 

“I can't lose you,” she cried, wiping her tears with her fingers. “Please, promise me you won't leave me.”

“Shh, Querida, it will be alright,” he soothed her. “I don't understand what happened but I'm here for you.” Diego drew a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it her. “We can't stay much longer inside the kitchen or people will wonder what we're doing here.”

“You have to go back to your table,” she urged him while she wiped her tears. “I need another minute to be presentable again.”

“You look fine,” he assured her. “Beautiful as always.” Diego's remark made her smile again. “And even better when you're smiling,” he said. “You can keep the handkerchief.”


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After Victoria had returned from their talk, she had just served drinks to another table when Don Pablo Punzon entered the tavern, and Diego noticed how Victoria's expression changed from confusion to something like terror.

“Señorita Escalante, do you have a minute?” Don Pablo approached her, stopping near Diego's table.

“I will serve you at once, Don Pablo. Pick a table you like,” she answered businesslike.

“I didn't come for a drink, but I'd like to invite you to accompany me to Don Emilio's birthday party on Saturday.”

“I'm sorry but I can't go with you to the party, Don Pablo. Maybe another time would be better,” she said with a forced smile.

“Señorita, I heard that excuse from you before when the matchmaker told me that you were interested in getting married and convinced me to express my admiration for you by singing to you.”

“Yes, I remember,” Victoria bit her lips, and Diego suppressed a smile as he remembered how she had threatened to throw his guitar into the fire.

“Your treatment was quite humiliating and the least you can do is to accompany me to the party,” Don Pablo insisted. “I know you have the day off.”

Victoria's expression became even more forced. “I'm sorry, Don Pablo, but I really can't because you're too late. Don Diego asked me to go with him to the party.”  
Unlike his father and Mendoza, Diego hid his surprise by taking another sip from his glass, noticing Victoria's pleading look. 

“Is that true, Don Diego? Did you ask the Señorita to accompany you?” Don Pablo inquired.

“It's my honor to have her join me,” he said, noticing her relief. 

“Didn't you say that you didn't want to go to the party because you were too busy with your studies, Diego?” his father asked. 

“I changed my mind. How could I stay away with such lovely company?” he smiled, almost tempted to kiss Victoria's hand as he used to do as Zorro, but he couldn't risk that.

“Then I'll see you at the party,” Don Pablo said, disappointed. “I hope you won't deny me a dance.”

“Of course not, Don Pablo,” Victoria said politely. “Though I can't promise I won't step on your shoes.” 

“My feet are shorter than Don Diego's, so I'll take the chance.” Don Pablo bowed shortly before he left the tavern.

“Why did you change your mind about the party?” Alejandro asked, after Don Pablo had left. “Do you think it's a good idea to ask Victoria to accompany you?”

“What are you talking about?” Diego asked while he was still preoccupied by his talk with Victoria in the kitchen. How had she found out his identity? Had he said or done something that had given him away? What was it? Or what had happened? Why was she so upset? At least she wasn't angry at him and had accepted him. 

“Aren't you afraid you'll get in trouble with Zorro when you're asking out his lady?” his father said. “Aren't you listening to me? What took you so long in the kitchen?” 

“Victoria is a good friend, and there's no reason why she shouldn't go to a party once in a while when Zorro can't take her,” Diego said, focusing on the talk with his father again. Why had she been so intent on avoiding Don Pablo? Was it because she disliked that man so much? Or did she rather want to be with him now that she knew? Diego grinned at the thought.

“Diego? Where are you with your mind again? We need to leave if we want to check the northern pastures today.”

“I'm sorry, Father, but I can't accompany you. I know I promised but I just remembered I have to finish an article for my newspaper. Now that the soldiers have captured the Ramirez brothers I need to write about it.”

“Can't that wait until after their trial? Don't you know where our money comes from? The newspaper won't feed you but our cattle will,” his father said angrily. “You're never there when I need you. You should get married and have children then you'll learn what is important in life.” His father rose from the table and left the tavern. Diego saw him riding away while he went over to his newspaper to work on the article.

There was some time until siesta and he needed to investigate the post coach robbery. The Ramirez brothers had vehemently denied that they were involved in the robbery when they were led to prison and he was inclined to believe them as they hadn't committed any crime before. Riding out as Zorro, he checked the road where the coach was robbed. Unfortunately, the tracks on the road at the site of were trampled over by the soldiers who were in pursuit of the Ramirez brothers, so he needed to expand his search of the area. Zorro abandoned his investigation for the moment to return to the tavern for his talk with Victoria.


	4. Chapter 3

Dressed as himself again, Diego arrived shortly before the end of lunchtime and ordered his meal though he didn't taste much of the food. The upcoming talk with Victoria made him nervous. All these years he had tried so hard to keep his secret from her and to keep her safe and now she knew. His greatest fear hadn't come true that she wouldn't love the man behind the mask but it was still scaring to face her as himself.  
When all the other guests had left, Victoria locked the doors to make sure they weren't disturbed.  
“Now that we're alone there's nothing to keep you from an explanation,” Diego said. “How did you find out who I am?”  
“I don't know how to explain this,” Victoria said nervously. “You will think that I'm crazy but can you still listen to me?” she pleaded.  
“Why don't we sit down and you tell me everything?” Diego pointed to the bench he had previously occupied.

“I lived through my worst nightmare yesterday in which I found out who you are and lost you at the same time. I don't know if it was a dream or rather a nightmare but for me it was real,” she started.

“A dream told you who I am?” Diego asked, surprised. “What kind of dream?” 

“It was more than a dream, it was something that happened but now I'm the only one who remembers it. Did anything like this ever happen to you? That you were living through your worst nightmare?”

“Yes,” Diego reluctantly admitted. He didn't like to think about the time when the angel Don Fernando showed him how his life would have been if he hadn't become Zorro.

“You did?” Victoria asked, surprised. “What was it about?”

“I don't want to talk about it right now.” Diego ran his hands across his face in a useless effort to wipe away the memory that haunted him until this day. “Tell me about your dream. Why do you think it was real and not a nightmare? We all have vivid dreams from time to time.”

“Because everything has happened before.”

“What do you mean this has happened before?” Diego asked. “What happened?”

“Everything. Today. The invitation from Don Pablo for the party. The imprisoning of the Ramirez brothers. I knew all of it because I lived through it before.”

“What do you know about the Ramirez brothers? You said something strange today about it happening again? Was that also in your dream?”

“Yes. Please let me explain without interruptions,” she asked and Diego nodded in agreement.

“For me, it was already four weeks ago that the Ramirez brothers were accused of robbing the post coach. Before they could be hanged, you as Zorro found evidence that the driver was the true culprit. He murdered the passengers and hid their valuables not far from the site of the robbery. Then he injured himself and blamed the Ramirez brothers who the coach had passed by shortly before. Zorro found the hidden money and when he confronted the driver, he admitted it all.”

“I haven't found any evidence at the site yet, because the tracks were all trampled over by the soldiers but if it is as you say, I will have another look, now that I know what to search for,”

“If you find the hidden bounty, it will also prove that it wasn't a dream but reality,” Victoria stated.

“You could still have been dreaming about the robbery,” Diego said who wasn't convinced yet.

“I wished it had only been a dream then it wouldn't have been so dreadful,” Victoria said, depressed.

“What exactly happened in your dream that made it so dreadful? Zorro finding the true culprit of the robbery doesn't seem to be so bad for me.”

“The attack on the coach was only one thing. What was more important was Don Pablo's invitation to Don Emilio's birthday party that started it all. It convinced me that it hadn't been a dream.”

“What did it start?”

Victoria swallowed, fighting her tears as she recounted what had happened. “When Don Pablo invited me before, he wore the same suit and used the same argumentation to convince me to accompany him. I was clueless about his true intentions and agreed. That was my mistake.” 

“Why was it a mistake? Is that the reason you pretended I had asked you before?”

Victoria nodded. “Don Pablo abducted me instead of going to the party and made me stay at his hacienda overnight, leaving me no choice but to accept his proposal to marry him after he had ruined my reputation.”

“Did he hurt you?” Diego asked, alarmed.

Victoria shook her head. “No,” she said, as she explained in detail what had happened that night and that Don Pedro was mainly interested in her money.

“Did you marry Don Pedro in your dream? Is that what shocked you so?” Diego asked, as he imagined Victoria marrying another man.

“No, it wasn't like that. Zorro or rather you and I were very desperate about losing each other and we decided not to wait any longer when there were only three weeks left until my wedding and no way out of the situation.”

Diego stared at her surprised, but he didn't say anything as she continued. “You didn't want to let me marry Don Pablo and during the wedding ceremony you revealed your identity as Zorro to me, forcing me to marry you.”

“You didn't know it was me behind the mask even though I made love to you? And now you know my identity because I revealed myself to you in a dream?”

“It wasn't a dream. It was real though it must be hard for you to believe it. I didn't want to know your identity, so I couldn't betray you and wouldn't know it was you if I saw you in the pueblo after my marriage. I wanted to spare myself that torture,” she whispered, prompting Diego to cover her hand with his and caressing it. 

“What else happened except us getting married? Were you disappointed it was me?”

“It happened what I had always feared, the alcalde arrested you as Zorro after we exchanged the vows, concluding that any man I married so suddenly had to be Zorro. Your father and I tried to argue that you couldn't be Zorro and get you free but the alcalde was too convinced, suddenly realizing what a fool he had been all these years. To make sure Zorro didn't escape him again, he hanged you within the hour.”

Victoria could no longer contain her tears as she remembered the horrible sight. Sobbing heavily, she threw herself into Diego's arms who finally understood.  
“Shh, Querida, it was only a dream,” he whispered, soothingly. “I'm here and I'm alive. Please, stop crying. I can't see you cry.”  
“It wasn't a dream. I was real. I saw you there. Dead.” She shook her head in horror. “I couldn't stop crying and I prayed that it wasn't true. Then I lost consciousness. When I woke up today, the last weeks hadn't happened and it was March again. I was never so relieved to see you again.”

Victoria had moved to his lap, as she was clinging to him with her arm around his neck.

“I noticed your reaction this morning,” he smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Please, don't leave me. I can't lose you again. Seeing you die was the most horrible thing in my life.” She kissed him desperately.

“Querida, it's all right,” Diego tried to calm her but she didn't stop kissing and touching him. “We shouldn't do this,” he objected, fighting for control as her kisses became more and more passionate.

“We waited long enough. I don't want to waste any more time now that I realized how quickly it can be over.” Victoria knew how to overcome his reluctance as she began undressing him. 

“Victoria, please,” he tried in a final effort, but she silenced him with a passionate kiss.

Giving in, Diego picked her up and carried her upstairs to her room where he joined her on her bed.

There wasn't anything better in the world than listening to Diego's heartbeat, Victoria decided for herself, relaxing in his arms with her head on his chest while Diego was sleeping with a smile on his face. While in her body she had still been a virgin, she remembered making love to him before and how he liked to be touched. She hadn't told him of the child she had lost but this time she would keep it safe. Whatever it took, she wouldn't lose him or her child again.


	5. Chapter 4

Diego hadn't much time to think about the events of the day as he rode home from the tavern at the end of the siesta. He only knew that he had never been so happy in his life even though it made his life even more complicated. Victoria was a very determined woman who didn't want to waste any more time after she had found out his identity, but he had to admit that he didn't want to wait any longer either. But how could they get married without the alcalde getting suspicious? The prospect of ending as in Victoria's dream scared him. He didn't intend to end at the gallows but he couldn't lose Victoria either. Was there a way out?

First of all, he needed to find out if Victoria's dream was more than a dream as she claimed. If it was true then he needed to find the evidence that proved the innocence of the Ramirez brothers.   
When Diego arrived at the hacienda, he immediately slipped into the cave to change into Zorro and get Toronado ready. He missed Felipe's company and not only his help since he went to Monterey a month ago to become a lawyer. There were only a few more hours of daylight left and he needed to see the tracks if he wanted to find the missing money.

Now that he knew what to look for, he took a closer look at the place of robbery, searching for hiding places that were still in reach for the driver without going too far from the site of the alleged attack. It didn't take him long to find the leather bag with the stolen valuables from the passengers and money from the mail. The bag was in a small hole just large enough to fit the bag inside and covered by a rock. Next to it was large cactus the probably served as a landmark to retrieve the bounty at a later time. The soil near the cactus was a little softer near the cactus and showed the footprint of a small boot.   
Zorro chuckled to himself as he looked through the bag, checking the content. The driver hadn't been very clever and let the greed get the better of him. With the footprint, it was enough to prove his guilt.

Z~Z~Z

The next morning a considerable crowd had gathered around the gallows that had been erected inside the cuartel for the hanging of the Ramirez brothers. The alcalde was in the middle of his speech about bringing justice for a horrible crime that involved the killing of a citizen of Los Angeles when Zorro appeared on the roof of the cuartel. 

“Alcalde, excuse me for interrupting your speech but I must object to this hanging.” 

“Zorro!” the alcalde exclaimed. “How dare you! Shoot him!” he commanded his soldiers who grabbed their weapons and fired at him but nothing happened.  
“Since I expected an unfriendly welcome from your men, I poured some water over the rifles. They won't work until they have been thoroughly cleaned and dried,” Zorro explained. “It gives us the chance to have a talk without further interruptions.” The soldiers stared at their useless weapons, making a face at the work it would take to make them function again.

“I'm not interested in your talk,” the alcalde said angrily. “These men are guilty, and they will hang for their crime.”

“Just give me a few more minutes,” Zorro insisted. “Señor Gomez,” he addressed the driver, the sole survivor of the attack, who featured a bandage after he had been injured during the attack. “Would you be so kind to tell us the time?” 

Gomez started to reach for his pocket, but then he retreated his hand again. “I don't have a watch,” he claimed. “Why are you asking me?”

“I think you do,” Zorro said. “Don Alejandro de la Vega,” he addressed his father, “Don Antonio, a well-respected caballero and a good friend of yours, owned a very valuable pocket watch. Would you recognize it?” 

“Of course, I would,” Don Alejandro confirmed. “It was an heirloom of his family and he carried it with him all the time.”

“Would you please check the pockets of Señor Gomez?” Zorro asked.

Alarmed, Gomez frantically turned his head left and right, looking for an escape in the crowd but the people around him stepped away from him, leaving him exposed as the made way for Don Alejandro.

“Stay away from me. There's no need to look into my pockets. I was injured during the attack and barely escaped being shot too,” Gomez said. He wanted to run, but two soldiers restrained his arms. Don Alejandro opened the man's jacket and searched the inside pocket Gomez had reached for earlier. Feeling the large metal object, he pulled it out and held it up in the air. “It's Don Antonio's  
watch. There's no doubt about it as it features his family's crest.”

“Señor Gomez, would you care to explain how you got Don Antonio's watch?” Zorro asked. “I found the bounty from the robbery not far where the coach was attacked. I will tell your soldiers where to find it after we sorted this out. When I inspected it, I noticed that Don Antonio's watch was missing. Also, there was a man's footprint next to the hiding place. It wouldn't be so remarkable if it hadn't been from a small boot. As you can see the Ramirez brothers have very large feet, but you have very small ones.” 

The people in the crowd turned their heads to compare the feet of the tall Ramirez brothers to the one of the former driver, who was a short man with even shorter feet. 

“Let me tell you what really happened, Señor Gomez,” Zorro said with a sharp voice. “You killed the passengers and hid the bounty except for Don Antonio's watch near the site of the 'attack' and later blamed the Ramirez brothers who you had passed by earlier. To make your story even more believable, you pretended to be injured yourself. Wasn't it so?”

Gomez squirmed to get free but realized the futility. “How did you find the bounty? I made sure it was well hidden,” he admitted his guilt.

“I knew what to look for,” Zorro said, thoughtfully, catching Victoria's eyes for a short second, who quickly looked away. 

“Seize him and let the two Ramirez free,” the alcalde commanded. “And catch Zorro!” But Zorro had expected it and jumped from cuartel roof, after whistling for his horse.

Chapter 5

Zorro rode around to the entrance where he saw Victoria standing in front of the crowd. “Señorita Victoria, you look as beautiful as ever. I heard you have been asked by several caballeros to accompany them to a party. Does that mean you are open to other courtships now? Are you no longer waiting for me?” he asked. They hadn't made a plan on how to proceed with their relationship, but Victoria understood the prompt. 

“Why shouldn't I go to a party?” she countered. “I know you can never take me. Do you want me to stay at home forever and wait for you until you are finally able to fulfill your promise? I have been waiting long enough and want to have some fun.”

“I understand. I kept you waiting too long, but without you, there will be no more Zorro,” he said sadly, hearing there crowd gasp at this unexpected revelation. “Adios.” After his typical salutation, he turned Toronado around and rode out of the pueblo.

Victoria watched him until he could no longer be seen, breathing out relieved when he was safe. She trusted him to be careful, but she still couldn't be sure that there's wasn't a rifle or a pistol to shoot him from behind. The prospect of losing him scared her even more since it had become real for her before. She didn't realize she had been crying until Don Alejandro stepped next to her and offered her his comfort. 

“Victoria, it must be hard for you after all this time,” he said compassionately. “You have been waiting so long for each other that you can't let it end like this. I'm sure he will come back if you give him another chance.”

“There will never be a future for us,” she wiped her tears. “Look at the alcalde,” she pointed to the cuartel behind her. “He will never give up his hunt for Zorro.”

“Why don't you come to the hacienda for dinner tonight, Victoria?” he suggested. “Diego and I will be happy about your company and you will have time to think about everything when you don't have to serve your customers all the time.”

At first, Victoria wanted to decline because she didn't want to leave her tavern for another evening when she was already going to the birthday party with Diego on Saturday night but the prospect of spending another evening with him made her change her mind. “Thank you, Don Alejandro. I will come.” 

Z~Z~Z

The events of the last two days had Diego much to think about. In a way he had hoped that what Victoria had told him about her dream hadn't been true but how could he doubt it now when her information about the bank robbery had been true? She had also known about his identity and the invitation to the party. Diego thought about the Christmas Evening a few years ago when the angel Don Fernando had shown him how his life would be if he hadn't become Zorro. Maybe something like this had happened here too? There was no proof, but it was possible, and it made his possible arrest as Zorro even more likely if he tried to marry Victoria. Was there a way out? He couldn't give her up now after they had just found each other, but how could they be together? Their public split up was only one step, but he doubted it would convince de Soto enough not become suspicious if Victoria discovered her love for Diego.

Back in the cave, he took his time to take care of Toronado and his gear. Though he enjoyed his time with Toronado giving him time to let his mind run free, he realized how much he had relied on Felipe the past years. Now there was nobody else to take care of the horse and the cave and he couldn't slip back into the library so quickly after a ride as Zorro, pretending he had never left, when he had to unsaddle and feed Toronado first. Though he hated to admit it, he couldn't go on without help and now was the right time to give up Zorro. Victoria was very shaken by her 'dream' and she needed the certainty that she wouldn't lose him again risking his head as Zorro.

Diego had just returned to the library, pretending to read a book when his father walked in.  
“Diego, where have you been all morning. You have been there at the pueblo. Why didn't you come to the hanging when you believed the Ramirez brothers were innocent and tried to defend them? Instead, Zorro had to save the day again, convicting the driver of the attack and the murder of the passengers.”  
“The driver was the villain?” Diego feigned surprise. “Really? It's good that Zorro took care of it.” Diego looked at his book again, angering his father,

“We wouldn't know what to do without Zorro, but guess what? Zorro has left and it's your fault!” his father accused him.


	6. Chapter 5

Zorro rode around to the entrance where he saw Victoria standing in front of the crowd. “Señorita Victoria, you look as beautiful as ever. I heard you have been asked by several caballeros to accompany them to a party. Does that mean you are open to other courtships now? Are you no longer waiting for me?” he asked. They hadn't made a plan on how to proceed with their relationship, but Victoria understood the prompt. 

“Why shouldn't I go to a party?” she countered. “I know you can never take me. Do you want me to stay at home forever and wait for you until you are finally able to fulfill your promise? I have been waiting long enough and want to have some fun.”

“I understand. I kept you waiting too long, but without you, there will be no more Zorro,” he said sadly, hearing there crowd gasp at this unexpected revelation. “Adios.” After his typical salutation, he turned Toronado around and rode out of the pueblo.

Victoria watched him until he could no longer be seen, breathing out relieved when he was safe. She trusted him to be careful, but she still couldn't be sure that there's wasn't a rifle or a pistol to shoot him from behind. The prospect of losing him scared her even more since it had become real for her before. She didn't realize she had been crying until Don Alejandro stepped next to her and offered her his comfort. 

“Victoria, it must be hard for you after all this time,” he said compassionately. “You have been waiting so long for each other that you can't let it end like this. I'm sure he will come back if you give him another chance.”

“There will never be a future for us,” she wiped her tears. “Look at the alcalde,” she pointed to the cuartel behind her. “He will never give up his hunt for Zorro.”

“Why don't you come to the hacienda for dinner tonight, Victoria?” he suggested. “Diego and I will be happy about your company and you will have time to think about everything when you don't have to serve your customers all the time.”

At first, Victoria wanted to decline because she didn't want to leave her tavern for another evening when she was already going to the birthday party with Diego on Saturday night but the prospect of spending another evening with him made her change her mind. “Thank you, Don Alejandro. I will come.” 

Z~Z~Z

The events of the last two days had Diego much to think about. In a way he had hoped that what Victoria had told him about her dream hadn't been true but how could he doubt it now when her information about the bank robbery had been true? She had also known about his identity and the invitation to the party. Diego thought about the Christmas Evening a few years ago when the angel Don Fernando had shown him how his life would be if he hadn't become Zorro. Maybe something like this had happened here too? There was no proof, but it was possible, and it made his possible arrest as Zorro even more likely if he tried to marry Victoria. Was there a way out? He couldn't give her up now after they had just found each other, but how could they be together? Their public split up was only one step, but he doubted it would convince de Soto enough not become suspicious if Victoria discovered her love for Diego.

Back in the cave, he took his time to take care of Toronado and his gear. Though he enjoyed his time with Toronado giving him time to let his mind run free, he realized how much he had relied on Felipe the past years. Now there was nobody else to take care of the horse and the cave and he couldn't slip back into the library so quickly after a ride as Zorro, pretending he had never left, when he had to unsaddle and feed Toronado first. Though he hated to admit it, he couldn't go on without help and now was the right time to give up Zorro. Victoria was very shaken by her 'dream' and she needed the certainty that she wouldn't lose him again risking his head as Zorro.

Diego had just returned to the library, pretending to read a book when his father walked in.  
“Diego, where have you been all morning. You have been there at the pueblo. Why didn't you come to the hanging when you believed the Ramirez brothers were innocent and tried to defend them? Instead, Zorro had to save the day again, convicting the driver of the attack and the murder of the passengers.”  
“The driver was the villain?” Diego feigned surprise. “Really? It's good that Zorro took care of it.” Diego looked at his book again, angering his father,

“We wouldn't know what to do without Zorro, but guess what? Zorro has left and it's your fault!” his father accused him.

“What have I done? I haven't even been there!”

“You invited Victoria to go with you to Don Emilio's birthday party, and it let to a fight between Victoria and Zorro, who said she was the only reason for him to stay. I want you to fix that. Tell Victoria that you can't go with her to the party. Pretend that you need to work on your experiments or whatever. Then she'll stay at home, and Zorro will come back.”

“No, that's not a solution. Victoria deserves to see something else from time to time beside her tavern, and you can't rely on Zorro all the time. Do you want her to stay home because the caballeros of this pueblo are too lazy to confront the alcalde? It's so easy to let Zorro do all the work and oppose the alcalde. Victoria has suffered long enough, waiting for Zorro and it's time for a change!”

“You haven't been there in the pueblo today to see Victoria cry when Zorro left her. She loves that man and they deserve to be happy with each other after all this time. I don't want you with your stupid invitation to be responsible for their breakup.”

“Victoria was crying?” Diego asked, concerned. Had she taken their breakup serious? Was she unhappy with him?

“Yes, she was very sad when Zorro said goodbye to her. I invited her for dinner tonight and she agreed. It will be the right time for you to revoke the invitation,” his father declared. “You have time enough to think of a reason until then, and after lunch, I need you to ride out with me to the northern corral. The fence was damaged last night by the storm and we need every man we have to catch the escaped horses.”

Diego sighed. With his father needing him at the ranch, there was no time to ride to the pueblo and to check on Victoria during siesta. Now they needed to wait until the evening and find an unguarded moment for talking. 

Z~Z~Z


	7. Chapter 6

Victoria arrived at the hacienda an hour before dinner after she had prepared everything for the evening, working through siesta, so that her helpers could take over. All the while she had hoped for Diego to come to the tavern, so they could talk about their future, but he had stayed away after splitting up with her as Zorro.  
“Victoria.” Diego rose from the couch when she entered the parlor. With his large legs, he only needed a few strides to reach her. “Are you all right? My father told me you have been crying this morning.” He opened his arms to pull her tight and kiss her.

“I'm fine when you kiss me like this,” she whispered when he let her go again. “And I can't get enough of it.” She slowly ran her hand from his hair along cheek down to his open shirt.

“I can't get enough of you either,” Diego replied kissing her again more passionately. “We need to get married – soon.”

“I want that too, but I don't know how we can if it means you will be hanged.”

“I dishonored you. We should have waited.”

“No.” Victoria shook her head. “We only did what we both wanted. Life can be so short. The alcalde could get suspicious for other reasons too besides us marrying. Once he discovers your identity you will be dead, and I don't want to wait until that happens. I want to live now and be together with you – no matter what the church says.”

“I want that too, but I want to marry you and make you mine officially.”

“We need to figure out first how to do that safely and until then we should be more careful,” Victoria said, nervously eyeing the door. “Your father could come in any minute.”

“I think he wants to give me some time to talk to you,” Diego said.

“Talk about what?”

“About inviting you to Don Emilio's birthday party this Saturday. He wants me to come up with an excuse for why we can't go.”

“Why? Does he think I don't belong there because I work in a tavern?” Victoria said self-consciously.

“No. Don't think that. My father never cared about class and loves you like the daughter he never had.”

“Then why?”

“He hopes that you will stay home and reconcile with Zorro instead, who will, in turn, come back to the pueblo to fight the alcalde,” Diego explained.

“I don't want you to ride as Zorro anymore,” Victoria said. “There isn't a minute I don't worry about you, especially now...” She bit her lip while her hands clung to his upper arms.

“Don't worry, Querida, my days as Zorro are over. Today was Zorro's final day,” he assured her.

“Even though Zorro is still needed?”

“Yes, I realized I can't go on any longer for many reasons, and one of them is you and what you told me.” Diego kissed her again, tenderly caressing her cheek, holding her tight until a few more moments before he led her to the couch sitting down in a chair facing her. They held hands until there were steps to be heard from the hallway. 

“Diego, Victoria, I'm sorry I had you wait so long,” Don Alejandro apologized. “I hope Diego hasn't bored you with his talk about his experiments again that he spends too much time with.”

“No, it's fine,” Victoria assured him. “We talked about the paper and the Ramirez brothers Zorro saved today,” she said. 

“Yes, the robbery on the post coach shows once more how much Zorro is needed,” Alejandro stated. “It would be very bad if Zorro had left us for good.” Noticing, Victoria stare when she mentioned Zorro, he opened the door and guided them to the dining room. “We can discuss that after dinner. Let's enjoy the meal first. Please go ahead, Victoria. I need to talk to Diego for a minute.”

As soon as Victoria was out of earshot, he addressed Diego. “Did you tell Victoria that you aren't going to the party with her?”

“No, and I won't,” Diego defied his father.

“You can't come between Victoria and Zorro, and you know how much the pueblo needs him. Give them a chance to reconcile.”   
Diego refused to answer, walking quickly to catch up with Victoria, before his father could say more. Victoria threw him a look, guessing what they had been talking about, but they discussed other topics during dinner. Alejandro mentioned the stormy weather and suggested Victoria should stay at the hacienda instead of returning to the tavern which she easily agreed to, staring at Diego when he offered to take her home.

“I feel my old bones after spending the whole afternoon in the saddle and I need to retire early,” Alejandro excused himself. “Diego will keep you company, Victoria,” he hinted at his son.

“Don Alejandro, please don't be angry at Diego because he invited me to the party,” Victoria said, knowing what this was about. “It wasn't his idea. I didn't want to go with Don Pedro, so I pretended that Diego had already asked me. If Diego doesn't accompany me, I have no reason to decline Don Pedro's invitation, and I have a bad feeling about that.”

“Is that true? Why didn't you tell me before, Diego?” Alejandro asked. 

“I didn't want to embarrass Victoria,” Diego said. “And how could I deny helping her out?”

“Yes, you acted like a gentleman,” Alejandro said, amenable again. “With Don Pablo asking you too you have a point, Victoria. I believe Zorro wouldn't like it even less if you went with Don Pablo instead of Diego. He knows that you and Diego are only friends.” Neither Diego nor Victoria chose to comment on that. “Hopefully, Zorro's love is stronger than his jealousy, and he decides to come back to you after all.” 

“No, I don't think so,” Victoria said. “I want to go on with my life and can't wait for him any longer. Zorro needs to move on too.”

“I agree with Victoria. It's time for the caballeros to stand up for their own and no longer rely on a single man,” Diego said.

“Since when do you agree with Victoria about Zorro?” Alejandro said, surprised. “And it's true that it wasn't your idea to invite Victoria to the party?” He shook his head to dismiss the thought that Diego could be interested in Victoria. 

“No, it wasn't,” Diego assured him. 

“I'm going to bed. It's late.”

“Are you going to join me?” Victoria asked when his father had left. “And why did you offer to take me home?”

“It was a final effort to act honorably,” Diego said. “You know I can't resist you any longer.”

“There's no need to try any longer. I'm tired of waiting.” 

“I'm tired of waiting too.” Diego bent over to her to kiss her. “Let's wait some minutes until my father has fallen asleep so nobody will see me slip into your room. His snoring can even be heard in the hallway.”

Victoria nodded in agreement. “I'll wait for you.”

Z~Z~Z

The next two days until the party passed quickly while Victoria and Diego spent some time together secretly during siesta or in the evening after the tavern was closed.


	8. Chapter 7

On Saturday, Diego drove the carriage to the pueblo to take Victoria to the party at Don Emilio's hacienda while his father had already ridden ahead on his horse and would meet them there.

“Are you excited?” Diego asked, after she was properly seated beside him.

“It's the first time we're going to a party together,” she stated.

“And I hope it won't be the last time,” Diego said. “I can't wait until we are married and don't have to hide any longer.”

“We have to be careful,” Victoria said. “I can't lose you again.”

“You won't, Querida. I promise.”

“I wouldn't mind being abducted and have my reputation ruined by you,” she suggested.

“That would be really suspicious. Why would I abduct you anyway?” he teased her. 

“And why am I going to this party with you?” she countered.

“Because you didn't want to go with Don Pablo and needed a replacement.”

“And because I love you, Querido.” She put her hand on his arm, looking lovingly at him.

“And I love you, Querida.” He would have kissed her, but the hacienda was already in sight, and they had to behave.

Joining his father who had already mingled with his friends, they went to the dining hall. After the dinner that went uneventful except for a few remarks about Diego's unexpected attendance with Victoria, the ball was opened by Don Emilio and his wife and soon the other guests followed them on the dance floor.   
Diego was expected to dance with several young Señoritas whose fathers hoped to match him with their daughter while Victoria didn't lack dance partners either. After a few dances, Victoria could no longer escape her promise to dance with Don Pablo who asked her for the next dance while Diego was matched with the daughter of a neighboring ranchero.

On the dance floor, Don Pablo began to steer them to the side of the room near the back door where he guided her to the side. 

“Why are you stopping? Did I step on your foot?” Victoria asked.

“No, my feet are fine,” Don Pablo replied, “but I would like you to accompany me outside for a minute. I need to talk to you.”

“I don't want to go outside,” Victoria replied. “I promised Diego the next dance,” she lied. “If you would be so kind to take me back to him?”

“This is too bad, but Don Diego has to look for another dance partner,” Don Pablo said, “because you will be coming with me.”

“I don't intend to. Take me back to the de la Vegas immediately,” Victoria requested.

“You will come with me,” Don Pablo ordered, reaching into the pocket of his suit. “I have a pistol here, and if you don't do what I say I won't hesitate to use it.”

Victoria could make out the shape of the pistol in his pocket and his voice convinced her that he was serious. Pressing the barrel of the gun to her back, Don Pablo guided her outside to the back of the hacienda where the carriages were parked. He must have given orders to the stable hands in advance, because his carriage was ready for departure. 

Victoria had no choice but to step inside the carriage where he tied her up and made her sit on one of the benches. “I will free you again when we have arrived at my hacienda. Too bad you didn't agree to accompany me to the party in the first place, then we could have spared us this detour and the ride would have been much more pleasant.”

“I won't go with you to your hacienda,” Victoria said, but he only laughed. 

“You don't have a choice but should stay quiet.” Don Pablo pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to gag her. Unnoticed by him, the pistol fell out of his pocket under the seat of the carriage.  
After he had sufficiently tied her up, Don Pablo left her alone in the carriage to climb on the driver's seat to drive them to his hacienda.  
Victoria prayed that Diego would notice her absence and follow her while she desperately tried to undo the knots of her ties. If Don Pablo managed to take her to his hacienda and compromise her, then the story would repeat itself again, and she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't see Diego die again and lose it all. It was just too horrible. Crying, she worked on her ties, knowing that hers and Diego's life depended on it.

Z~Z~Z

“Where's Victoria?” Diego asked his father while he tried to find her among the couples on the dance floor.  
“I haven't seen her for a while,” his father said. “Probably, she's taking a break since she has been dancing since the start.”  
“When did you see her last?” Diego inquired.  
“When she was dancing with Don Pablo, I believe, but I'm not sure. I was dancing myself then.”  
“That was some time ago, after she danced with me,” Diego stated. “Are you sure you haven't seen her since she was dancing with Don Pablo?”

“I don't know. As I said I was on the dance floor myself, and it's hard to find someone when it's so crowded,” his father said. “Find another dance partner or is there a problem? There are enough young ladies who would like to dance with you.” 

Concerned, Diego started to make inquiries about Victoria. Doña Elsa, Don Emilio's wife, told him that she wasn't in the lady's room, but one of the other Doñas, who preferred watching the dancing from the side, told him that she saw her standing near the doors to the terrace with Don Pablo. 

Following her direction, Diego went outside and asked for Don Pablo. A stable hand told him that he had asked for his carriage to be ready some time ago and that the carriage was no longer there.  
“Bring me my father's horse,” Diego ordered, who knew that something was amiss and that he couldn't waste any more time.

On his father's horse, Diego followed the road to Don Pablo's hacienda, hoping that Don Pablo hadn't taken any detour with Victoria and that he would catch up with her in time. Though he was used to riding in the dark, he couldn't follow any tracks in the night.


	9. Chapter 8

Victoria was grateful that Don Pablo's hacienda was on the other side of the pueblo in the north not far from the de la Vega hacienda while Don Emilio's hacienda was in the south on the way to San Diego. Besides the distance between the haciendas, the driving was slow because the debris from the storm still cluttered the road and asked for careful driving of the carriage, giving her time to work on her knots. She didn't know how close they were already to his hacienda, but she feared it wouldn't be far as it had appeared to be an eternity for her until she had managed to free herself.

Victoria pushed down the lever of the carriage door and the door opened with a loud squeak. Ready to jump, she tried to make out the surroundings of the road by the moonlight. Unfortunately, Don Pablo had heard her opening the carriage door and stopped the horses. Jumping down from the driver's seat, he came back to her side of the carriage to check on her. 

“What are you doing here? Just because you were so clever to free yourself doesn't mean you can leave now. Go back inside,” he ordered her.

“I won't go back, and I won't drive with you to your hacienda,” Victoria defied him. 

“You will do as I say,” he commanded, forcefully shoving her back inside. Victoria lost her balance and fell to the floor of the carriage. Don Pablo was on the step of the carriage door, ready to come inside and to tie her up again. Victoria moved backward on the floor while she tried to get on her feet when her hand touched a heavy object under the seat. It was the pistol. She grabbed it and pointed it at Don Pablo.

“Don't come closer or I'll shoot you,” she threatened him.

“I'm not afraid of any woman. Even with a weapon, they are no threat, because they don't know how to handle one.” Don Pablo arrogantly moved forward and reached for the weapon in her hand. “Give it to me before you hurt yourself.”

“I won't!” Victoria sat on the floor of the carriage with the other door at her back and Don Pablo coming closer while she pointed the weapon at him. 

“Don't come closer,” she warned him as he hovered over her. 

Don Pablo ignored her warnings and grabbed for the pistol. As they were struggling for the weapon, the pistol fired and Don Pablo fell backward.  
Victoria dropped the pistol and got on her feet. “Don Pablo?” she inquired but there was no reply. In the dim moonlight, she couldn't check his condition. Was he dead or only injured? Carefully, she climbed outside. Afraid he might come after her, she started to run into the direction she came from.

About fifteen minutes later she heard a rider coming her way. “Help!” she cried. “Please help!” She moved to the center of the road to make herself more visible in the moonlight.

“Victoria? Is that you?” the tall rider stopped his horse and dismounted.

“Diego?” she asked relieved, as she recognized his voice.

“Victoria, are you all right?” Diego took her by the arms and held her. “What happened? What are you doing here all alone?”

“Don Pablo abducted me and wanted to take me to his hacienda,” Victoria cried, “just like the last time, but I couldn't let that happen.”

“Where is he now and how did you escape?”

“I think he's dead or injured. I tried to escape from the carriage and then I found his pistol... I don't know what happened to him. He was so silent after the shot, and I couldn't see anything in the darkness and then I started to run..,” Victoria threw herself into his arms.

“Where is the carriage?”

“A short distance down the road.” Victoria pointed backward.

Diego pulled her up on his horse and after a short ride, they arrived at the carriage. Diego lit one of the lamps that were hanging at the side of the carriage and told her to hold the light while he examined Don Pablo who lay motionless on the floor of the carriage.  
“He dead,” Diego said. “The bullet hit his heart and killed him immediately.” Diego pointed at the chest where the bullet had entered his body.

“What am I going to do now?” Victoria said desperately. “I killed a man, and the alcalde will hang me for it.”

“It was an accident. Don Pablo abducted you, and you tried to escape,” Diego said.

“That won't help me,” she cried. “I don't think anyone will believe me. If I don't hang, I will still go to prison. Why is there no future for us? I saw you die once and when we got a second chance somehow, I messed it up again. The first time, I was too trusting to accept his invitation to the party and now I killed him. We will never be together.” Victoria sobbed heavily at his chest.

“There must be a way out, Querida. I'm here for you, and we will find something,” Diego tried to calm her while he was thinking of a solution. Victoria was right that the alcalde would not believe her and have her either imprisoned or hanged for killing Don Pablo. The alcalde wouldn't miss the chance of taking his revenge on Victoria because of her connection with Zorro who he hadn't managed to capture despite his efforts. If it weren't for Zorro and the alcalde's obsession with him it wouldn't be so bad. Not for the first time Diego wished for a way out of the trap that he built for himself when he became Zorro. He was tired of waiting for the day Zorro was no longer needed when all wanted was to be with the woman he loved.  
“Our lawyer from Santa Paula will defend you and he'll get you free.”

“There's nothing we can do,” Victoria cried. “You know the law better than I do. It's either facing prison or death or we try to run and escape the soldiers but if they catch us before we reach the American territories, we'll both be dead. We missed our chance to be together and I don't believe there will be another.”


	10. Chapter 9

While Victoria was crying in his arms, Diego looked at the body of Don Pablo at his feet, and a plan formed in his head.  
“I think I have an idea, Querida, but you have to brave and help me,” he said.

“You have a plan?” Victoria rose her head to look at him. “I will do anything to get out of this. What do you want me to do?”

“Tell me again what happened at the party, and how Don Pablo abducted you and forced you to go with him.”

Victoria explained in detail how Don Pablo had threatened to shoot her if she didn't go with him and how she had shot him after she had freed herself, and he tried to prevent her escape.

“Did anyone see you when you left with Don Pablo?” Diego asked. “This is important.”

“No, I don't think so. It was dark outside, and the carriage was already waiting there. Why?”

“I have a plan on how we can turn this around and keep you from prison,” Diego said.

“How?”

“You will tell everyone that Don Pablo was Zorro. After the dance with Don Pablo, you walked outside for some fresh air where Zorro approached you, asking you to come with him. You followed him to the carriage and drove away with him. After some time you wanted an explanation and to know where you were going. Zorro stopped the carriage and started an argument because you were going to the party with me and never managed to realize it was Don Pablo behind the mask. You had a fight and by accident, the pistol fired and killed him.”

“How are we going to manage that? Who will believe it?” Victoria asked doubtfully.

“Everyone will believe it if you act convincingly. I will ride home to get Zorro's clothes, and we will dress Don Pablo's body. Then we drive to the pueblo, and you will tell your story. Do you think you can do that?” Diego said.

“If Zorro is dead, does it mean we can get married?” Victoria asked. 

“Yes, if we convince the alcalde you killed Zorro then there's no more reason to arrest me as Zorro and get me hanged. You can marry whoever you want.”

“I don't like this lying, but I can do it if it saves our future,” Victoria declared. “But I still killed a man, how does that keep me from prison?”

“Zorro is an outlaw, wanted dead or alive. You will go free for killing an outlaw and may even get the money for his head.”

“I don't want to profit from all of this. I won't take the money,” Victoria declared. “All I want is a future with you.”

“Then you agree to the plan?” Diego asked. 

Victoria nodded. “I will do whatever is required.”

“We have no more time to waste. I need to ride back to the hacienda to get Zorro's clothing while you wait here.”

Victoria nodded but Diego could see that she was very uncomfortable with it. “You need to drive the carriage to the side of the road so that it won't be seen so easily.” Diego could have done that for her but it gave her something to do while he was away, and it would distract her too.  
“Extinguish the light after I left. We don't anyone to find you before we have changed Don Pablo.” Victoria liked that even less and Diego hated having to leave her alone in the darkness with the body.   
“I will manage,” she assured him, as she climbed on the driver's seat. “There's still the moonlight.” Diego noticed how she shivered from the shock and from cold air.   
“Do you want my jacket?” he offered, handing her the jacket of his suit.

“No, please keep it. We can't let anyone know that you have been here before if anyone comes here before you come back,” she objected. “I'll find something to keep me warm and there's still Don Pablo's jacket,” she said, wrapping her bare arms around herself though she didn't see any blanket and taking Don Pablo's jacket was about the last thing she'd do. Being along with the body in the carriage gave her the shivers, but she would endure, staying on the driver's seat.

“Querida, I know this is hard for you and I will return as soon as I can, but it will take me at least forty minutes riding.” Diego had mounted his horse and bent down to her on the driver's seat to kiss her cheek. “This will only work if nobody discovers you and Don Pablo before I get back but there's a good chance nobody comes this way at this hour because there's only Don Pablo's hacienda at the end of the road.”

Victoria didn't know how much time had passed since Diego had left when she heard a rider coming closer. She hoped it was Diego, but she couldn't be sure, and she dared not to make a sound, hoping the rider wouldn't notice the carriage hidden off the road in the shadow of some trees, making it almost invisible in the moonlight.

She let out a breath of relief when the rider passed her by but then one of the horses snorted, making the rider turn around and come back.

“Who is there?” the man asked. “Victoria? Diego?” He pulled out a lamp from his saddlebag and lit it.   
When the light illuminated his face, Victoria recognized him. “Don Alejandro, I'm here,” she said relieved.   
Alejandro rode closer to the carriage, holding up the lamp, so he could see her sitting on the driver's seat. “Victoria, what happened? Why are you sitting here alone in the darkness? How did you get here? Are you all right?”

“I'm fine, Don Alejandro. Everything is all right. You can ride home again,” she said while she tried not to cry.

Alejandro had dismounted and walked up to her. “Victoria, don't tell me you're fine. I won't leave you here alone on an empty road in the darkness. Tell me what's going on. Is this Don Pablo's carriage? Where's he? And why did you leave with him?” 

“Don Alejandro, you really need to leave,” she insisted. “How did you get here? Have you seen Diego?”

“No, I haven't seen him. Diego was concerned when he couldn't find you after you danced with Don Pablo. He searched for you at the party and when he didn't come back, and nobody could find you, I found out that he had left the party on my horse. I thought he had ridden home, so I drove back to our hacienda with the carriage, but he wasn't there. I exchanged the carriage for a horse and decided to ride to Don Pablo's hacienda to ask him about your whereabouts and maybe meet Diego there too, but if he hasn't come this way he may have gotten lost in the darkness.”

“Can you please extinguish the light?” Victoria asked. “I think I hear someone coming.”

“Why do you want to be in the darkness? And why didn't you say anything when I passed you by earlier? What's going on here?” Alejandro asked.

“We need to extinguish the lamp,” Victoria urged him, taking the lamp out of his hand and blew it out. She hoped that it had been in time, and the rider hadn't seen it or heard them. 

“Victoria? Are you there?” Diego said quietly as he slowed down his horse. “I thought I saw a light and heard you talking. Is someone here?”

“It's your father,” Victoria said. “He passed by in search of me.”

“Diego? Is that you? What are you doing here? And why this secrecy?” his father inquired. “Victoria is sitting here all alone in the darkness and doesn't want to be found while she refuses to tell me what's going on.”

Diego sighed. They could not keep this from his father. “I'll explain later, but, at the moment, we need your help.”

“What help? Do you want me to drive Victoria back? Or is there a problem with the carriage? A broken wheel?”

“No, it's very different.” Diego dismounted to stand beside his father. “Are you all right, Victoria? I'm sorry I couldn't come back faster. Can you put on the light again? We will need it.”

Victoria lit the lamp she had extinguished earlier before she took Diego's hand helping her climb down from the carriage. Her hand was cold, and she shivered in the cold night air. Noticing how cold she was, Diego removed his jacket and put it around her. “You should have taken my jacket earlier.” Victoria only wrapped herself into his large jacket that was still warm from his body heat.

Diego took his father's lamp to light the one from the carriage before he handed it back to his father, keeping the other.  
“Now we get to work.” 

“What work?” his father asked. “You still haven't told me what's going on here. Have you been here before? Why did you leave Victoria here all alone in the darkness?” 

“Father, this is serious. If you don't want to be involved in something that may go against your sense of rightness, it's best if you leave now.”

“What do you mean by that? I want to know what you're up to. What's going on?”

“We could use your help, but you must promise not to talk about it.”

“Diego, you're driving me crazy when you don't answer my questions, making this even more mysterious.”

“Give me your word or leave now,” Diego insisted.

“I promise, Diego. Now tell me what this is all about.”

“It's best I show you. Follow me.” Diego approached the side of the carriage and opened the door, holding up the lamp and attaching it to a holder inside the carriage.

“That's Don Pablo!” his father exclaimed. “Is he dead? What happened to him?”

“Don Pablo abducted Victoria, and when she tried to escape she accidentally shot him,” Diego explained.

“That's horrible,” his father stated. “What are you going to do now? Why didn't you take Don Pablo back to his house or to the pueblo?”

“Because we have to save Victoria from being accused of killing him.”

“And how will you do that? She shot him. De Soto will put her to trial, even if it was in self-defense.”

“Exactly, and that's why we must do this.” Diego showed him a bundle of black cloth that he had pulled from his saddlebags.

“What's that?” 

“Zorro's clothes. We will dress Don Pablo as Zorro and then Victoria will go free.”

“Dress him as Zorro? Where did you get those clothes? And how will you convince de Soto that Don Pablo was Zorro?”

“How do you know Don Pablo wasn't Zorro?” Diego's challenge made him pause.

“I don't think Don Pablo could have been Zorro.” Alejandro shrugged. “He wasn't the man for it. And if he were there wouldn't be a need to dress him as Zorro now, would it? This will never work.” 

“It has to. Help me undress him,” Diego said. “Or do you want me to ask Victoria to help me?”

“This is no work for a woman,” Alejandro stated as Diego started to pull down the pants, opening his shirt and removing his boots. “But do you know what you're doing? You're covering up the evidence and hiding the truth. I always believed you were a defender of the truth and do what's right and now you ask me to help you to do this. How can you even consider this and what will Zorro say about it?”

“Zorro has left, and it's best for all if we pretend Don Pablo was Zorro. Don Pablo certainly won't object anymore.” Diego said, examining the shirt where the bullet had left a small hole before entering the body. “The bullet was a clear shot and didn't do much damage. I believe it's still in the body. There isn't much blood either.”

“Why do you care about the shirt? Didn't you say you wanted to dress him as Zorro?” 

“Yes, but if someone examines Don Pablo's clothes from the party, it must appear intact.” Diego took the shirt and stepped outside to Victoria. The body scared her, and she didn't want to look at it, preferring to lean against the door instead.

“Can you sew it?” Diego showed her the hole in the shirt.

“I think I can. Why do you need it fixed? He won't need it anymore,” Victoria said.

“If someone sees the hole in the shirt, he might guess that Don Pablo was shot, wearing his white shirt and not Zorro's. If the alcalde figures out the truth, he will hang you and not believe that it was self-defense.”

“I will try.” Victoria took the shirt and climbed back on the driver's seat to sit down.

“Here, take that.” Diego handed her a sewing kit. “I have to get back to my father.”

Victoria took the sewing kit, but when she tried to thread the needle, her hands were shaking too much, missing the hole despite her efforts.

In the carriage Diego and his father dressed Don Pablo in Zorro's shirt and black pants, keeping Don Pablo's own boots. Diego was grateful he didn't have to move the heavy body on his own while putting on the black clothes. When Diego finally put the mask over Don Pablo's face, his father nodded. “You were right. Don Pablo could have been Zorro, he was almost as tall as him and nobody knows the face behind the mask though you still haven't told me where you got the clothes.”

“Yes, there's only one more small detail, but that's easy to fix.” Diego opened the shirt to check where the bullet entered the body before he pulled a dagger from his boot. With the dagger he made a hole into the fabric, matching the one in the shirt Don Pablo had worn. Finally, he cut himself with the dagger and smeared the blood around the hole. “That's it. Now let me check on Victoria again.”

Diego jumped out of the carriage and approached Victoria. “Are you ready?”

“I'm sorry, Diego,” she cried. “I tried, but I just couldn't thread the needle. I tried and tried, but I'm useless today.”

“It's alright, Querida,” he assured her. “Let me see.” Diego climbed onto the seat next to her and took the shirt and the needle. Without effort, Diego threaded the needle and fixed the hole in the shirt, making it almost invisible except for close inspection.

“When did you learn to sew?” Victoria asked, surprised. “Isn't that woman's work? I always thought men did have time for that while they were roaming the countrysides with their flashing swords.”

“Most vaqueros know how to handle a needle. If you're staying with the cattle, you need to know how to repair your gear, and you can't wait for someone to rescue you and fix your saddle, because you don't know how to do some stitching. My mother taught me how to sew properly and do it better than the vaqueros. I also kept in practice because I could hardly ask a servant to fix Zorro's clothes, so there was a lot of stitching over the years.”

“Yes, you're right. I never thought about that. Does it mean your sewed all of Zorro's clothes by yourself?” Victoria said.

“Yes, but Felipe helped me too. I only realized after he left how much he did,” Diego admitted. 

“What about the bloodstain?” Victoria pointed at the shirt.

“I have something for that. Excuse me.” Diego reached for the jacket she was wearing and pulled a small vial from a pocket. Pulling the stopper, he let a few drops fall on the bloodstain of the shirt. “This should dissolve the stain after a while,” he explained, folding the shirt.

His father had exited the carriage when Diego returned. “What were you doing? How's Victoria?”

“She's still shaken, as you can imagine.” Diego put the shirt together with Don Pablo's other clothing into the carriage trunk. “But we're ready to go now. On our way back we need to go through the story again that Victoria is going to tell.”


	11. Chapter 10

When they arrived at the pueblo, it was already very late and except for the soldiers on guard, everyone had already retired. Diego was relieved to see Mendoza on guard duty tonight. Not only would he be easier persuaded, but Diego counted him as a friend.

“Don Diego, what are you doing here at this time? I thought the party was over and you were in bed already?” Mendoza made a face, regretting immediately talking like that to Don Diego though it was well-known in the pueblo that Don Diego needed his sleep. “And why are you driving Don Pablo's carriage?” 

“We have bad news, Sergeant,” Diego replied. “Zorro is dead. His body is in the carriage.”

“Zorro? Dead?” Mendoza asked open-mouthed. “That can't be. He was my friend. Nobody was able to catch him.”

“Look inside.” Diego stopped the carriage in front of the cuartel, where he stepped down and gave Victoria a hand to climb down.

“It's true what my son said,” Alejandro confirmed. “Zorro is dead.”

Mendoza opened the carriage door and looked inside, using the lamp Diego had lit for him. “It's Zorro,” he exclaimed, staring at the black-clad body. “I need to get the alcalde,” he said depressed.

The sergeant hurried inside while Victoria and the de la Vegas waited outside by the carriage. Victoria looked as if she was about to cry and Diego gently put his hand on Victoria's arm who was still wearing his jacket. “Anything I can do for you?”

Victoria shook her head. “I will manage. I have been through worse.” She swallowed her tears.

The three outside didn't have to wait long for Mendoza to return with the alcalde.

“What is going on here?” a grumpy alcalde asked, obviously not very pleased to be called out of bed. “Mendoza said something about Zorro? What has Zorro done this time?”

“Zorro is dead,” Diego said.

“Dead?” de Soto asked. “What happened?”

Victoria stepped forward. “ I shot him.” Saying it out loud made her realize again what she had done. She had killed a man. How was she going to live with it? As she started shaking, Diego supported her with his arm around her back.

“Let's go inside,” he suggested, “where you can tell everything that happened.” Followed by the alcalde, Mendoza, and his father, Diego led Victoria inside and made her sit down at a chair opposite the alcalde's desk, staying behind her chair. The alcalde took his seat behind the desk, leaning forward while Mendoza and Alejandro stood on opposite ends of the desk.

“Tell me what happened, Señorita,” de Soto inquired. “Why would you shoot Zorro?”

“I was at Don Emilio's party with Don Diego and when I stepped outside for fresh air after a dance, Zorro approached me in the darkness. He asked me to come with him, and I followed him to one of the carriages. After we had driven for some time I became impatient and asked him to stop,” Victoria explained.

“What happened then?” de Soto inquired, leaning forward. “How did you shot him?”

“Zorro was jealous because I went to the party with Don Diego, and we argued.”

“I can imagine that,” de Soto grinned.

“It soon became a fight because he was angry that I didn't go to the party with him and that I hadn't recognized him before.”

“What do you mean by that? Did he never tell you?” de Soto asked.

“No, never.” Victoria shook her head. “I think he wanted me to guess leaving me hints, but I never made the connection. Instead, I humiliated him in the tavern, and he couldn't stand that. I mean what man would and still love me?” Victoria looked at the surrounding men who seemed to agree with her, exchanging a short look with Diego who slightly nodded. It was viewed as agreement by the others, but she knew that it meant Diego had forgiven her.

“Who was Zorro?” de Soto asked.

“Don Pablo Punzon,” Victoria said.

“The man who was singing to you in the tavern and whose guitar you threatened to burn?” de Soto said surprised. “I wouldn't like that treatment either, but I have to see that myself. Wait here!”

De Soto rushed out of his office, and the opening of the carriage door could be heard. A few minutes later de Soto returned to his place behind the desk. “It's really Don Pablo! I wouldn't have thought that! I have made sure the body is taken to the church and taken care of. The doctor will examine him tomorrow.”

Sitting down again, he motioned Victoria to continue. “Tell me how you shot him?”

“We had this fight. I don't know. He was angry, and I was angry and then I found that pistol under the seat. I wanted to leave, and he wouldn't let me, and then he was dead.” Victoria started to cry again when she remembered the silence after she had shot him. 

“What happened then?” de Soto asked.

“I don't know after that,” Victoria cried.

“I think I can help here,” Diego said.

“What is your part in this, Don Diego? What do you know?” de Soto turned to him.

“When I couldn't find Victoria at the party, I started searching for her and rode back from the party, but I must have lost my way.” 

“Again? Well, that's typical of you. You shouldn't go riding after dark,” de Soto stated.

“I found my way home and rode to Don Pablo's hacienda, which is close to ours,” Diego explained. “On the way, I met my father who had already found Victoria with Don Pablo's carriage.”

“Why did you two ride to Don Pablo's hacienda?” de Soto asked.

“Because she was last seen dancing with him, and he had left too,” Diego explained.

“When I met Victoria at the carriage, Don Pablo was already dead and Victoria was out of her mind,” Alejandro stated truthfully.

“I think I have heard enough,” de Soto stated. “Don Pablo is clearly dead and Señorita Escalante has admitted killing him. Mendoza, arrest her and take her to jail. The trial will be tomorrow.”

Without resistance Victoria rose from her seat and walked into the direction of the prison cells with Mendoza.

“Wait a minute! You can't arrest her,” Diego objected.

“I can, and I will.” De Soto waved with his hands at Mendoza, who had stopped with Victoria at the back door, signing him to go on. Mendoza obliged and led Victoria to the cells, closing the door behind them.  
“I'll go to bed now.” De Soto hid a yawn behind his hand. “And should go too, de la Vega.”

“Victoria is no condition to stay in prison. Let her go!” Diego demanded.

“She killed a man, and the prison is where she belongs, but you can tell her good night.” de Soto said. “Mendoza,” he addressed the sergeant who had just returned. “Give the de la Vegas five minutes to say good night to the Señorita.”

“Si, Alcalde.” Mendoza held the door open for Diego and his father.

Taking large steps with his long legs, Diego quickly walked through, followed by his father. In front of Victoria's cell he stopped. Victoria rose from the pallet she had been sitting on when she saw them. “Diego.” With both her hands she grabbed the bars of the cell.

“I'll get you out of here, Victoria,” he promised, wishing he could take her hands and show her his affection. “One way or the other,” he said with steel in his voice.

“Diego, don't do anything rash,” she pleaded, reaching through the bars and putting her hand on his arm. “I can endure. It will be all right.”

“No, I can see how you can keep yourself up, but I will convince the alcalde to let you go,” he assured her, controlling himself and suddenly talking airily again as he it was common for his Diego personality. “I only have to talk to him,” he smiled lightheartedly.

His father stared at him, surprised about his sudden change of manner. “Diego, what are you talking about? I don't think this will be so easy,” his father said. “I don't know how you will convince him to let Victoria go tonight.”

“No, I won't give up so easily,” Diego said.

“Please, Diego, all I want is to have some quiet and relax,” she pleaded. “I can endure a cell for a night.”

Appearing calm again, Diego smiled at her, ignoring his father's irritated look. “It will be all right.” Turning around her walked back to the alcalde's office.

“Are you finished, de la Vega? Can we now all go to bed?” the alcalde asked him, annoyed.

“No, I'm not finished unless you let Victoria go,” Diego said.

“The Señorita will stay in prison for killing a man,” de Soto stated again. “We will discuss this tomorrow.”

“I think you got that wrong, Alcalde. Victoria didn't kill any man, she killed Zorro who is an outlaw with a price on his head.” Diego pointed at the wanted poster of Zorro on the wall behind the alcalde's desk.

“That doesn't make a difference,” the alcalde said.

“Of course, it makes a difference. All these men are wanted dead or alive,” Diego pointed at the wanted posters. “There's no punishment for killing any of them, including Zorro.”

“That may be right, but get to the point,” the alcalde said.

“If there's no punishment for killing an outlaw then there's no reason to keep the Señorita in prison and,” Diego rose his voice, “she can also claim the bounty money of 6000 pesos to be paid immediately.”  
De Soto stared at him panicked when Diego mentioned the money, and Diego suppressed a grin as he knew well from his visits as Zorro to the alcalde's office that de Soto didn't have the promised bounty money.  
“I think we should discuss this tomorrow too. Good night, Don Diego.” De Soto turned around to head for his quarters.  
“You owe her the money now!” Diego said, making de Soto turn around again.

“I said I will talk about this tomorrow,” de Soto repeated.

“I think the Señorita will be willing to postpone the discussion of the money if you let her go now,” Diego said.

“I will keep her in prison for tonight and talk about the money tomorrow,” de Soto declared. “If Don Pablo wasn't Zorro for some reason, Zorro will come tonight and rescue her.”

“I do believe that Don Pablo was Zorro,” Diego stated, “and I'm sure the other citizens in the pueblo are curious to see if their hero is really dead even if it's in the middle of the night. When everyone has seen his body, you can hand out the bounty money to Victoria.”

“I don't think it will be necessary to wake up the pueblo in the middle of the night for the death of a bandit,” de Soto said.

“And I don't think it will be necessary to keep Victoria in prison tonight. My father and I will make sure that she returns with us to the pueblo tomorrow,” Diego countered.  
“I can guarantee that,” his father supported him.

“Fine, you can take her with you, if you will let us all go back to sleep then,” de Soto agreed.

“I knew we'd understand each other,” Diego smiled.

“Mendoza let her go,” de Soto ordered.

“Si, mi Alcalde.” Mendoza went back to the cells and returned with Victoria shortly afterwards. She was walking slowly, dragging herself forward. Diego wished he could take her in his arms and comfort her but it had to wait until they were back at the hacienda. “Wait for me in front of the tavern,” he instructed his father. “I'll get the cart ready.”

“Do whatever you want but go now,” the alcalde shoved them outside and closed the green door behind them.

Diego went over to the tavern and tackled the horse to her cart, since his father had taken their carriage back to the hacienda in exchange for his horse, and he couldn't take Victoria in front of his horse as he had done as Zorro. It would put their story about Zorro's death in danger if he acted like Zorro now, so it was better to drive her back with her cart.  
“What did Diego say to the alcalde to make him let me go?” Victoria asked as she walked alongside his father across the plaza.  
“Diego suggested waking up the whole pueblo to inform them about Zorro's death, demanding the immediate pay of the bounty money for Zorro. The alcalde had the choice to either face the whole pueblo with empty coffers or let you go for tonight.”

“No wonder the alcalde let me go. I don't think the alcalde has the bounty for Zorro, not that I want it anyway,” Victoria said, shivering despite Diego's jacket.

“No, I don't believe the pueblo ever had so much money,” Alejandro stated. “It was a clever idea of Diego to ask for the bounty money now. I never knew he were so cunning.”

While his father thought about it, Victoria didn't say anything but wrapped Diego's jacket even tighter around herself. Considering for a moment, if she should simply go to the tavern and let herself fall onto her bed, she dismissed the idea, knowing she needed Diego to hold her tonight and keep the nightmares away.

It didn't take Diego long to get ready and drive in front of the tavern. His father helped her climb up to the cart before he mounted his horse and attaching Diego's horse to his own.


	12. Chapter 11

During the ride to the hacienda, Victoria stayed very tense and didn't say a word while Alejandro quietly scrutinized them the whole time, probably thinking about the events of the evening.

When they arrived, Diego jumped from the cart and walked to her side to help her out. Victoria stood on the first step of the cart, barely keeping herself up.

“You can relax now,” Diego said, opening his arms. Victoria let herself drop, as he caught her and carried her into the house. Victoria put her arms around his neck and started to sob.

“Victoria, we're at the hacienda, and you're safe here,” Alejandro said, concerned.

“She has been through a lot today,” Diego said, concentrating his attention on Victoria. “It's all right, Querida,” he soothed her, ignoring his father's surprised look at the endearment.

“Please, don't leave me now,” she whispered to him. “I need you tonight.”

“I won't leave you,” he assured her while he carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed.

“Diego, tell me what's going on here,” his father demanded who had followed them on his heels. “You can't stay with Victoria. You aren't married!”

“Diego?” Victoria pleaded when he had released her on the bed to face his father.

“Victoria needs me now, and you won't keep me from her,” Diego said in a strained voice as he fought to keep his emotions under control.

“Diego, I can't allow that. I'll have a sleeping potion prepared for Victoria, and she will relax and sleep through the night.”

“I don't need a sleeping potion,” Victoria said.

“I have been there for Victoria whenever she needed me during the past years, and I won't stop now. Nobody keeps me away from her,” Diego said to his father with steel in his voice, his eyes flashing with anger. “Don't even try.”

“Diego, please, no more fighting,” Victoria said, and again Diego gave in to his father's surprise.

“As you wish, Father, but what Victoria needs is not a sleeping potion, but some fresh air and some quiet.” He walked to the window and unlocked the shutters, opening them slightly, letting a breeze in. “Good night, Victoria.” He ushered his father out and closed the door to her room firmly behind them.

“What's going on between you and Victoria?” his father asked, confused, as he walked alongside Diego who was heading for his room. “Why are you so close suddenly? What do you mean you have been there for her the past years and that I can't keep you away from her? At least you listen to Victoria since you won't listen to me. She seems to be the only one who has some sense of decency.”

“We can talk tomorrow, but now I need to go to bed. It's been an eventful evening.” Diego had reached his room and walked in and locked the door audibly, ignoring his father's knocking. “Diego, we need to talk.” 

“Tomorrow,” Diego replied through the closed door.

“Open the door now!” his father insisted, as he continued knocking hard.

Sighing, Diego gave in and opened the door to let his father in. “What is so important that it can't wait until tomorrow?”

“I need to know the truth. Diego, are you Zorro?” his father faced him, determined.

Diego considered what to tell him, but he realized that it didn't matter anymore. Zorro was officially dead. “Yes,” he replied.

“Thank you for telling me.” The tension left his father, and he stood less tall than before. “The whole evening since you showed me Zorro's clothes I didn't know what to think, but I could no close my eyes from the truth when I saw your true emotions around Victoria. You shed your mask of indifference in her presence, and you appear to be closer than you should be if you were only friends. Why didn't you tell me before?”

“I wanted to keep you and Victoria safe but now it doesn't matter anymore. If we can convince the alcalde that Don Pablo was Zorro, I will be free and have my life back. Thank you for helping me tonight, Father.”

“You are my son and Victoria is close to me as a daughter. I will always do anything for you. I love you, Son.”

“I love you too, Father.” The two men embraced each other and Alejandro wiped a tear from his eye. “I just have the feeling as if I have gotten my son back after all the years since you returned from Spain.”

“Yes, it will be different now, Father,” Diego smiled. “But can we talk about that tomorrow? It's been a long day.”

“Yes, you're right. Goodnight, Diego.” His father patted him on the shoulder and walked out the door, hiding a yawn behind his head. “I don't know if I can sleep, but I won't keep you any longer.”

As soon as his father had left, Diego locked the door again and got out of his uncomfortable suit to slip into his blue pants, forgoing the jacket. It wasn't as comfortable as his Zorro outfit but allowed him more mobility than the formal evening suit.

Diego opened the window and slipped outside as he had done many times before. Through the dark garden, he walked to Victoria's bedroom window where he climbed inside again, shutting the window behind him.  
“Diego?” she smiled, recognizing him, relieved. “Thank you for coming back. I almost feared you wouldn't come. It has been getting chilly in the room with the open window.”  
“I'm sorry, Querida, but my father kept me. He wanted to know the truth, and I couldn't deny it to him any longer.”  
“He deserves it. You will have a lot to explain but can we talk about that tomorrow? I need you tonight.”  
She rose from her bed and walked into his arms. “Don't leave me,” she whispered. “I need to feel you to know that I'm not living through another nightmare. I can't lose you again.”

“I'm here, Querida,” he assured her, kissing her tenderly. “I won't leave you.” He carried her the few steps back to the bed before he undressed to lay down beside her, taking her into his arms. 

“I don't know how to cope with this. I killed a man today. What shall I do? How can I live with this?” Victoria asked desperately. “And what if the alcalde doesn't believe in Zorro's death?”

They talked a long time as Diego opened up about his own experience when he had inadvertently caused the death of the bandit who had lain siege to the pueblo. It had been a difficult time for Diego afterward and had taken him much counseling from the padre to live with it. Diego repeated that Victoria hadn't intended to kill Don Pablo and only acted in self-defense, suggesting she talked to the padre tomorrow.  
With their painful memories laying bare, they sought love and comfort in each others arms, postponing any talk about the consequences of their plan to let Zorro die, as they needed to wait for the reaction of the alcalde first and be assured that he believed in Zorro's death before they could show any closeness to each other.

It was before dawn when Diego dressed again to return to his own room, letting Victoria sleep who had taken a long time to fall asleep after much crying.


	13. Chapter 12

After breakfast, the de la Vegas accompanied Victoria to the pueblo as they had promised. Diego drove the cart with Victoria seated beside him while his father rode alongside.  
The plaza was more crowded than usual as the news about Zorro's death and Victoria's involvement had already spread.   
There was a file in front of the church as the citizens wanted to see Zorro's body and convince themselves that he was really dead.   
As soon as they stopped in front of the tavern and Diego had helped Victoria step down from the cart they were surrounded by curious people asking questions.  
“Don Diego, is Zorro really dead? Señorita Victoria, why did you kill Zorro? Did you know that Don Pablo was Zorro?”  
As they tried to free their way into the tavern, the crowd was parted by a group of soldiers led by Mendoza who surrounded Victoria.  
“Señorita Victoria, you are accused of killing Don Pablo Punzon, and I have orders to arrest you,” the sergeant declared visibly uncomfortable.  
“You can't arrest Victoria,” Diego moved in front of Victoria. “She killed an outlaw and therefore she goes free.”

“That's where you are wrong, de la Vega,” de Soto declared who had followed behind his soldiers. “Don Pablo wasn't Zorro but an innocent citizen.”

The crowd gasped at this announcement. Don Pablo hadn't been Zorro? But how could that be when he was lying dead in the church dressed as Zorro?

“Zorro is lying dead in the church, and you tell us Victoria didn't kill him?” Diego challenged de Soto.

“Did you think you and the Señorita could fool me so easily, de la Vega? You surprised me last night when you brought Don Pablo's body to the pueblo, but I had the doctor examine him this morning.”

“And what did you find that justifies the arrest of Señorita Victoria?” Diego asked. 

“Something that justifies not only her arrest but yours too, Don Diego,” de Soto declared, signing the soldiers to arrest him too.

“What is going on here? Why do you arrest my son and Señorita Victoria?” Don Alejandro demanded to know.

“Don Pablo was dressed as Zorro last night but when you take a closer look at his clothes you will see that they don't really fit. Don Pablo was a tall man but not as tall as Zorro. The sleeves of his shirt are too long and so are the legs of his pants. They are made for a taller man. And who is taller than Don Pablo?”  
As the people looked around they found their eyes locked at Diego who was the tallest man in the crowd.   
“Don Pablo wasn't Zorro because Don Diego is Zorro.” De Soto pointed at him. “Once you realize that, it all makes sense. Señorita Escalante killed Don Pablo as she admitted herself and to make her go free, Don Diego helped her to dress him as Zorro because he had access to the clothing, his own clothing.”  
“You can't sincerely believe my son is Zorro,” Alejandro tried to save the situation. “He can't even handle a sword.”

“My father is right,” Diego said. “Unfortunately, I never finished my studies and learned to handle a sword properly.”

“You can't fool me any longer, de la Vega,” de Soto snorted. “Lead them to the gallows and shoot them if they try to escape.”

Surrounded by guards, any attempt to escape was useless when the weapons pointed directly at them. Diego didn't have Toronado at his call as he hadn't expected this turn of events. Was there anything they could do? Diego looked around as they were led to the gallows that was erected inside the cuartel. There had to be something. This couldn't be the end.  
He bent forward to Victoria who was walking in front of him. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear. She turned her heard and looked at him. “I love you too.”  
Diego struggled as the guards made him wait while they led Victoria the steps up to the gallows.   
“Let her go!” he yelled. “You can't hang her without a trial.”  
“There is no need for one. She admitted killing him,” de Soto said. “Soldiers, proceed!”


	14. Chapter 13

“No! Victoria! No!” Diego yelled, but then he looked around confused. He was lying in his bed but how did he get here? And why was he still alive? The last thing he remembered was standing on the gallows and seeing Victoria die before he was to be hanged next. He couldn't forget the moment when the light left her eyes while she was looking at him. He had struggled to reach her, but the guards had held him too tight. The memory would haunt him until the rest of his life. What had happened then? Had it only been a dream? But he knew that Victoria's death had been real — and still he was here in his bed. Had the alcalde released him and had his father taken him back? He had no memory of it.  
How could he go on now without her? Diego forced himself to get out of bed and dress for breakfast. His father would hopefully be able to give him answers.

“Diego, it good to see you up early for a change,” his father greeted him at the dinner table. “But you look terrible. Did you read late again?”

“Father, can you tell me what happened yesterday?” Diego asked. “How did I get home and what about Victoria?”

“I don't know what you're talking about, Diego. We had lunch in the tavern where everyone was still talking about the attack on the post coach two days ago while the soldiers were still chasing the Ramirez brothers for the attack. Zorro may get them first after he has been seen at the site of the robbery yesterday. After we drove home from the pueblo, you were busy with your experiments and after dinner, you beat me again in chess.”

“But that was on Tuesday, not yesterday,” Diego objected. “What about Victoria? What happened after ...” He could bear to pronounce it. He couldn't say after her death because that only would make it even more real.

“Are you all right, Diego?” his father asked, concerned. “You almost sound as if you were crying. What's wrong? Why are you asking about Victoria?”

“Father, please tell me what happened yesterday. I don't want to know about Tuesday,” Diego begged him.

“Yesterday was Tuesday and today is Wednesday. Where are you with your mind?” his father said.

“It's not Sunday?” Diego asked, confused. “What date is today?”

“Today is Wednesday, the twenty-first of March. Can you please explain why you are asking all these questions? Did you drink too much last night and now can't remember anything?”

“Today is Wednesday? Then Victoria is fine? And it's still three days until Don Emilio's birthday party?” Diego asked joyfully.

“Of course, Victoria is fine. At least, she was working in her tavern yesterday as usual. And about the party, you still haven't told me if you were joining me or if you are too busy with your experiments again. Maybe you should go back to bed and catch up some sleep until you can think straight again,” his father said, annoyed. “Can we finally have breakfast now?”

“I'll tell you about the party later,” Diego said, starting to eat hastily. “I don't think I'll go, but I haven't decided yet. I have to go to the pueblo first.”

“There's no need to gulp down your breakfast, Diego. Take your time, and we can ride there together.”

Z~Z~Z

When Victoria woke up in her bed in the morning, she couldn't remember how she had gotten into her bed in the tavern after she had broken down in front of the gallows and lost consciousness. Someone must have carried her back to the tavern and taken care of her. The light shining through the window shutters gave the impression of a gray day instead of the bright light of the previous days, and she only found it fitting after all that had happened. She wanted to stay in bed instead of getting up to work.   
“Mamá, what am I going to do now?” she cried, as she turned to the picture of her mother on her nightstand. She reached for the small frame but then something odd struck her, making her sit up. The frame was completely whole! How could that be? Only two days ago, a sudden blast of wind had blown it from her nightstand and completely shattered it. She had been able to save the drawing of her mother, but the frame had been beyond fixing. Had someone replaced it last night? But it was the same frame, showing the use from touching and holding.  
As she looked around in her room, she noticed the Easter decorations on display that she had packed away after Easter three weeks ago. What was going on?  
Unable to stay in bed any longer, she rose and opened the shutters to look around. It was a gray day as it was typical for March and also the trees and plants hadn't started blooming yet, looking different from what they had yesterday. Confused, she got ready and dressed for the day though she had no idea how to go through it.

It wasn't long when there was some banging on the door and when she opened, Mendoza was standing in front.  
“Why isn't the tavern open yet? I've been riding the whole morning to chase the Ramirez brothers and arrest them.”

“What did they do again? Wasn't it enough the alcalde falsely accused them of robbing the post coach?” Victoria asked. “If it hadn't been for Zorro they would have been hanged for something they didn't do.”  
“What do you mean with again?” Mendoza asked, confused. “They robbed the post coach two days ago and killed all passengers except the driver who survived and could describe them.”

“But that can't be. That happened last month and Zorro proved their innocence,” Victoria objected.

“What are you talking about, Señorita?” Mendoza said. “This was the only coach robbery in the last six months. Thanks to our well-trained garrison, the bandits no longer rob the coach because they know we will find and hang them.”

“Ha! Do you call that clumsy bunch of soldiers well-trained? The garrison wouldn't be able to catch any bandits if it weren't for Zorro's help,” Victoria snorted before she left quickly for the kitchen to fetch his order. The thought of Zorro brought the tears back into her eyes, and she didn't want to cry in front of her guest.

It took her a moment to compose herself before she was ready to serve him. If she hadn't just put the glass in front of Mendoza, she would have dropped it, as she saw her next customers. 

“Diego?” Victoria stared at him as he entered the tavern with his father, heading for Mendoza's table. How could Diego be standing there when she had seen him die the day before? Was this a dream? If so, she never wanted to wake up again. 

“Are you all right?” Diego asked, looking at her strangely.

“It's just good to see you,” she stammered, while she continued looking at him.

“It's good to see you too,” he said sincerely, putting his hand on her sleeve for a short moment. His touch assured her that this was real, and she wished he hadn't withdrawn his hand so quickly. 

“Señorita Victoria, please bring us some wine,” Sergeant Mendoza ordered with a grin, knowing that Diego never drank wine but didn't mind paying for it.

When Victoria returned to the kitchen, Diego excused himself and followed her. Unable to keep her hands from shaking, Victoria had put down her tray on the kitchen table and turned around to face him.

“It's all right, Querida. I know how you feel,” he said strangely. “What is the last thing you remember from yesterday?”

At first, she wanted to question him why he was asking her this, but then she simply burst out the truth. “Yesterday, I saw you die on our wedding day,” she said, still in shock. 

“And I saw you die yesterday,” he whispered. “And I can't stand losing you again.” Diego drew her into his arms and kissed her like never before. It felt as if they were both drowning and their kiss was the only thing to keep them alive. When they drew apart, they couldn't take their eyes from each other while standing in a tight embrace. “I love you and I can't live without you, but we have been given another chance because today is only the twenty-first of March and not the twenty-fifth,” Diego whispered.

“It's still March? I thought it was the nineteenth of April,” she asked, confused. “Why are you talking about the twenty-fifth of March? Why are you telling me this? Do you know what is happening? Is this a dream? I know it was real when I saw you die.” She started to cry as she put her arms around his neck. “It's so good to see you alive and to feel you,” she cried. “Please hold me and tell me that I'm not dreaming. Tell me that the nightmare is over.” 

“I don't know what is happening here, but you can't know how happy I am to see you,” Diego said. “We had this conversation in the kitchen before when you were confused about the date. Do you remember that?

“We talked about this before? When? Why don't I remember that? What is happening here?”

“I don't know. We need to talk about this in private. Do you have time during siesta?” 

Victoria nodded while she wiped her tears with the handkerchief he handed her. “I'll always have time for you.” 

“We can't stay much longer inside the kitchen or people will wonder what we're doing here,” Diego said.

“You have to go back to your table,” she urged him while she wiped her tears. “I need another minute to be presentable again.”

“You look fine,” he assured her. “Beautiful as always.” Diego's remark made her smile again. “And even better when you're smiling,” he said. “You can keep the handkerchief.” Diego was about to head back to the main room when he suddenly turned around again.   
“There's one thing. You can't go to that party neither with Don Pablo nor with me. Please, promise me that!” he begged her, worried.

“I didn't plan to go with him,” Victoria assured him. “But how do you know I wanted to go with you?”

“Because it already happened, and it ended terribly.” Diego didn't hide his horror.

“I'll stay at home or whatever. I promise.”

“There's so much that can go wrong, but we have to discuss that later.” Diego gazed at her again before he left the kitchen.


	15. Chapter 14

After Victoria had returned from their talk, she had just served drinks to another table when Don Pablo Punzon entered the tavern, and Diego noticed how Victoria's expression changed from confusion to something like terror.

“Señorita Escalante, do you have a minute?” Don Pablo approached her, stopping near Diego's table.

“I will serve you at once, Don Pablo. Pick a table you like,” she answered businesslike.

“I didn't come for a drink, but I'd like to invite you to accompany me to Don Emilio's birthday party on Saturday.”

“I'm sorry, but I can't go with you to the party, Don Pablo. Maybe another time would be better,” she said with a forced smile.

“Señorita, I heard that excuse from you before when the matchmaker told me that you were interested in getting married and convinced me to express my admiration for you by singing to you.”

“Yes, I remember,” Victoria bit her lips, and Diego suppressed a smile as he remembered how she had threatened to throw his guitar into the fire.

“Your treatment was quite humiliating, and the least you can do is to accompany me to the party,” Don Pablo insisted. “I know you have the day off.”

Victoria's expression became even more forced. “I'm sorry, Don Pablo, but I really can't go because I'm not feeling so well. I need to stay home and recover.”

Diego smiled at her reply encouraging as Don Pablo didn't hide his displeasure. “You don't even have enough honor trying to make amends for your previous humiliation of me. Instead, you hide behind excuses. I wish you a good recovery.” Don Pablo nodded slightly at her before turning around and leaving the tavern.

Victoria bit her lips at his disparaging words, but she knew what was at stake and obviously, Diego did too. She had been tempted to tell Don Pablo that Diego had invited her already but Diego had asked her not to do that. What did he know about Don Pablo and all that was going on? Siesta couldn't come soon enough.

Diego was relieved that Victoria had decided to stay home with an acceptable excuse since she was looking pale and unhappy, but was it enough not to go to the party to avoid getting killed? Would Don Pablo give up his plan to abduct Victoria so easily?

“Diego? Where are you with your mind again? We need to leave if we want to check the northern pastures today.”

“I'm sorry, Father, but I can't accompany you. I know I promised, but I just remembered I have to finish an article for my newspaper. Now that the soldiers have captured the Ramirez brothers I need to write about it.”

“Can't that wait until after their trial? Don't you know where our money comes from? The newspaper won't feed you but our cattle will,” his father said angrily. “You're never there when I need you. You should get married and have children then you'll learn what is important in life.” His father rose from the table and left the tavern. Diego saw him riding away while he went over to his newspaper, pretending to work on the article.

There was some time until siesta, and he needed to investigate the post coach robbery. Riding out as Zorro, he checked the road where the coach was robbed. Remembering where he had found the bounty the previous time, it was easy to retrieve it again. Tomorrow he would make his appearance as Zorro again and prove the guilt of the driver. Since his work as Zorro was done, he returned to the cave and changed into his other clothes to meet Victoria at the tavern for lunch.

Z~Z~Z

Dressed as himself again, Diego arrived shortly before the end of lunchtime and ordered his meal though he didn't taste much of the food. All he cared about was to see Victoria, though he tried to stare not too openly at her.  
When all the other guests had left, to make sure they weren't disturbed. The moment Victoria had locked the doors behind the last guest, Diego pulled her into his arms.  
“Now that we're alone, we have finally time to talk.” 

“Only talk? Did you think I wouldn't notice how you stared at me during lunch?” Victoria wrapped her arms around his neck, and their kiss left them as breathless as in the morning.  
“I think we were lucky the other guests paid more attention to their drinks than to us,” Diego smiled. “Have I told you already today how much I love you and that I can't live without you?” He kissed her tenderly.

“And I love you,” she whispered. “Having you in my arms is all I ever want.” Looking at each other, they needed no more words. Diego picked her up and carried her up to her room, laying beside her on her bed. “You told me that we already got married once, so in heaven you are my wife. I know we should wait until we have let the world know about it, but life can be so short. I want to spend every minute with you.”  
“I know,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I remember our wedding though nobody else does. I saw you die then.”  
“And I saw you die too at another time before we could get married,” he added.   
“There's no more time to waste.” Victoria drew him into her arms.

Later when they were dressed again, they sat down at the kitchen table, their hands locked on the table.  
“We need to talk,” Victoria said. “I don't know what is going on, except that I saw you hang yesterday, but we are still here together. What do you know about this? You didn't seem surprised this morning.”

“I don't know what is happening or why, but I know we had this talk before here in your tavern on the twenty-first of March, which was five days ago for me.”

“Why five days for you?” she asked. “What did we talk about, and why don't I remember it?”

“Because for me you died yesterday, the twenty-fifth of March,” Diego said with a shaking voice. “After you died, I can't remember anything until I woke up in my own bed today to find out it was Wednesday again.”

“And I saw you die on the nineteenth of April only to wake up again today, and it's March again.”

“You told me everything that happened though I don't remember anything of the weeks that led to my death, just like you don't remember anything that led to your death. Both times we were back to today. This day seems to be the most important because it was the day Don Pablo invited you to the party.”

“Yes, I know. I was so stupid to accept his invitation, and he abducted me to force me into marrying him,” Victoria said ashamed. “If I hadn't done that, all of this never would have happened.”

“No, it's not true. It's not your fault,” Diego soothed her, gently caressing her cheek.

“How do you know that? I saw you die!”

“Because it happened again. Let me explain,” he said, as Victoria stared at him confused.

“After I was killed, time was rolled back again, and last Wednesday, when Don Pablo invited you to the party, you told him you were going with me already. Later, you explained to me what had happened and how Don Pablo's initial invitation forced you to accept his proposal and when I tried to marry you instead, it resulted in my death.”

“Yes, it was horrible,” she whispered. 

“We went to the party together, but Don Pablo abducted you from the party instead and when you tried to flee, he wanted to restrain you and you shot him.”

“I don't remember anything of that,” Victoria said horrified. “Was that why I died? Did the alcalde hang me?”

“Yes,” Diego admitted, holding her hands in both of his as he remembered the moment. “We tried to trick the alcalde by dressing Don Pablo in Zorro's clothing and pretend that Don Pablo was Zorro, so you would go free for killing an outlaw.”

“Why didn't it work?” Victoria asked. “Did we forget anything?”

“No, we did all we could except that Don Pablo is slightly shorter than me. The clothes were a little too long at the sleeves and the pant legs. The alcalde noticed it and since you had already admitted shooting him, he hanged you for it. There was nothing I could do,” Diego admitted.

“It wasn't your fault,” Victoria soothed him. “You did all you could.” She rose from her chair to sit on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. “What are we going to do now? Will we be killed again?” she asked, scared.

“I don't know. All I know is that we have another chance, and we have to get this right because there might not be another.”

“What can we do? Don Pablo abducted me twice, and each time it led to a disaster. Do you think if we fail again we will be dead? I can't see you die another time.” 

“I can't witness your death again either.” Diego held her tight in his arms feeling her warmth and her soft body. “I wished I could have you in my arms the whole day, so you would be safe from Don Pablo.” Victoria wanted to protest, but he continued. “I know it's not possible, so I thought of something else.”

“What is your plan?”

“Don Pablo wants to marry you because of your money, so we have to take that away.”

“Do you want to take my money? How?” Victoria asked, shocked. “All I have is the tavern. Do you want me to give you my tavern? Not that I care for the money if it saves you but still...”

“I don't want your money or your tavern,” he assured her, “but if you pretend that you lost your tavern, Don Pablo will no longer try to abduct you to force you into marriage.”

“I understand. You're right. He'd no longer want me and nobody else either.”

“Maybe you could consider marrying me for my money when you no longer have some?” he suggested.

“I think I would,” she smiled, kissing him, “but I'm afraid, de Soto will hang you again if I marry you.”

“Yes, I know, but it's the best I can come up with,” Diego said miserably.

“We'll have to work on that, but I like to pretend that I have no more money to keep Don Pablo away. I can tell that my brother Ramon who inherited the tavern after our father's death gambled the tavern away, leaving me with nothing.”

“It could also explain why you were so devastated today,” Diego added.

“Yes, it's a good explanation.”

“I hope that you will come around and marry me, now that you're penniless.” Diego kissed her again. 

“I will think about it, but we must make it believable. We can't be seen together. You have to go before someone sees you, and I have to catch up with my work after this long siesta.”

“Our time together is always too short, Querida. If I could, I'd marry you on the spot.”

“Yes, I know,” she said unhappily.

“We'll find a solution on how to be together. I promise.” Diego rose with her from his seat and held her tenderly for a moment before releasing her. “I love you.” Quickly, he left the tavern through the back door and returned to his office where he had left his horse to ride home to the hacienda.


	16. Chapter 15

At the hacienda, Diego went to the cave to take care of Toronado and his stable. Though he enjoyed his time with Toronado, giving him time to let his mind run free, he realized how much he had relied on Felipe in the past years. Now, there was nobody else to take care of the horse and the cave, and he couldn't slip back into the library so quickly after a ride as Zorro, pretending he had never left, when he had to unsaddle and feed Toronado first. Though he hated to admit it, he couldn't go on without his help, and now was the right time to give up Zorro. Zorro's days were over; either he managed to find a solution to marry Victoria and have a life with her, or he would be killed. There would be no more Zorro after saving the Ramirez brothers tomorrow. 

The thought of losing Victoria again scared him, and he was desperately looking for an answer that didn't end in a disaster like before. They couldn't expect to be given another chance. What could they do? How could they prevent the alcalde from becoming suspicious and hanging him as Zorro? Victoria would tell everyone she had lost her money, but it only solved the threat of Don Pablo abducting her. The bigger threat was from the alcalde who was intent on catching Zorro and killing him. The moment he tried to marry Victoria as himself he would be dead. It was a trap he had created for himself years ago, and he hadn't found a way out yet. Time was precious now when they had stopped waiting to get married, and Victoria could already be carrying his child.

His father found Diego contemplating his options in the library after he had returned from his work on the hacienda.

“Diego, what's worrying you?” his father asked. “You didn't notice me when I came into the room and didn't hear any of my questions. You're only like this when something is really worrying you. So what is it? Does it have something to do with Victoria? She appeared very depressed, and you were in the kitchen with her for some time.”

“It's something about her brother and the tavern, but I can't tell you any details. She didn't say much,” Diego said. He wished he could talk with his father about everything, but even if his father believed their impossible tale, it was safer not to tell him anything. Diego had no intention to live through another nightmare where his father paid the ultimate price.

Z~Z~Z

After dinner, Diego played a round of chess with his father to pass the time until the tavern was closing, and he could meet with Victoria again. When his father headed for bed, he slipped away into the cave again to ready Toronado for another ride.

“Zorro! What are you doing here?” Victoria exclaimed when she spotted his movement in the shadows of her room.

“I couldn't stay away from you,” he admitted, opening his arms for her.

“And I don't want you to stay away though I'm scared you will be discovered.” Victoria stepped into his embrace.

“Tomorrow will be my last day as Zorro, so this is the last time I can meet you this way, but I don't want you to worry over me anymore.”

Tiredly, Diego rose from the bed two hours before dawn letting Victoria sleep. Though he would have liked to stay, he had to leave while the darkness covered him in his black outfit. They hadn't slept much as they had discussed their future between lovemaking and planning the next days, hoping it wouldn't lead to another disaster.

Z~Z~Z

The next morning the hanging of the Ramirez brothers for the robbery of the post coach and the murder of the passengers was planned. Like the other time Victoria remembered, Zorro rode into the plaza to save the Ramirez brothers from the false accusation and reveal the true culprit. Everything happened as she remembered it until it was time for him to leave.

Before riding away, Zorro rode over to Don Pablo, addressing him. “I heard that you made attempts to court Señorita Escalante recently, but I can tell you that none of you will profit from it. Señorita Escalante won't be able to save you from your debts because she is no longer a rich tavern owner, and she won't be able to save her tavern with your money either since it's all gone. Isn't that so, Victoria?”   
Don Pablo had become pale when his debts were mentioned. “You don't have any more money?” he stared at Victoria.  
“No, I don't,” she admitted.

After he was finished, Zorro rode around to the entrance where Victoria was standing in front of the crowd. “Señorita Victoria, you look as beautiful as ever and you will always be in my heart but there's something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?” she asked, although she knew what was coming.

“I have decided to leave the area and that I can no longer ask you to wait for me.” He bowed politely to her.

“This comes rather suddenly, Señor Zorro. Does it have something to do with the fact that I lost my tavern and have nothing left?” she accused him. “Have you only been interested in my money as so many others? Like Don Pablo? Because all you have is your horse and your fancy outfit?” she challenged him.

“I will not answer this kind of question, Señorita,” Zorro answered, offended. “It's better to end this now.” Without his usual smile, he simply nodded to her before he rode out of the pueblo.

Victoria watched him until he could no longer be seen, breathing out relieved when he was safe. She trusted him to be careful, but she still couldn't be sure that there's wasn't a soldier with a rifle or a pistol to shoot him from behind. The prospect of losing him scared her even more since it had become real for her before. She didn't realize she had been crying while remembering his death until Don Alejandro stepped next to her and offered her his comfort. 

“Victoria, it must be hard for you after all this time,” he said compassionately. “You have been waiting so long for each other that you can't let it end like this. I'm sure he will come back if you tell him that you believe in his love.”

Victoria shook her head. Alejandro believed she was crying because Zorro had left and she refrained from correcting him and any other who witnessed it. Though she had objected against this public split up last night when they had discussed their plans because the alcalde might see through their ruse, Diego had insisted on it, arguing that it was their only chance to get married as long as Zorro was still wanted. 

“What if he really wanted my money?” she questioned Don Alejandro instead. “Now that I have no more money I can find out who my real friends are.”

“You can always rely on me and Diego,” Alejandro assured her. “Why don't you come to the hacienda tonight, and you can tell us what you will do now. If there's anything we can do to help you we will do so.”

“Thank you, Don Alejandro. I will come tonight,” Victoria agreed. How could she stay away if it meant spending some time with Diego?

“Has Zorro left you because you lost your tavern?” the alcalde sneered who had heard the encounter though he hadn't been able to reach Zorro and do any harm. “What an interesting turn of events. No money and no hero.”

Z~Z~Z

Back in the cave, Diego changed his dark outfit for his normal suit before he took his time to take care of Toronado and his gear. Today had been his last day as Zorro, and he needed some time to come to terms with it. All these years he had been fighting for the pueblo and today he had saved two innocent men from death. Could he really stop riding as Zorro and give up his role as protector of the pueblo? How could he stand by and face the oppression of the alcalde doing nothing? But then he thought of the moment he had seen Victoria die while he was waiting for his own hanging. He couldn't go through this nightmare again. How could he watch her die because of her relationship with him? No, he wasn't willing to risk this any longer now that she knew his identity. He wanted to help the people in the pueblo but not if the lives of Victoria and his father were the price. 

Diego had just returned to the library, pretending to read a book when his father walked in.  
“Diego, where have you been all morning? You should have been at the pueblo. Why didn't you come to the hanging when you believed the Ramirez brothers were innocent and tried to defend them? Instead, Zorro had to save the day again, convicting the driver of the attack and the murder of the passengers.”

“The driver was the villain?” Diego feigned surprise. “Really? It's good that Zorro took care of it.” Diego looked at his book again, angering his father,

“We wouldn't know what to do without Zorro, but guess what? Zorro has left not only the area but Victoria too. Victoria is devastated as you can imagine. I asked her to come to the hacienda tonight. There must be something we can do to help her.”

“What do you suggest?” Diego asked.

“I don't know but Victoria questioned Zorro why he was leaving her right now after she lost her tavern, hinting he might have been interested in her money.”

“And what did Zorro say?” Diego asked with feigned ignorance.

“He said nothing. Who would have guessed that? After all these years it was about the money? I can't believe that. I always thought he really loved her. Maybe they only need to talk about it but I don't know how to reach Zorro, especially after he announced his leaving.”

“Maybe it's for the best then Victoria can stop waiting and go on with her life before it's too late for her.”  
“I know you have never been fond of Zorro, but I have never seen two people who were so in love. I want Victoria to be happy, and the least we can do is to cheer her up a bit and assure her of our support.”


	17. Chapter 16

Victoria was quiet during dinner, as the memories of Diego's death still haunted her. For her, it had been only yesterday, and she still tried to cope with everything that had happened. If it wasn't for his father, she would reach out for Diego's hand to feel him and assure herself that he was alive, and the nightmare was over. From Diego's concealed looks, she knew he felt the same.

Alejandro tried to cheer up Victoria but with little success, as Diego wasn't very supportive and refused to play a happy tune on the piano, stating he wasn't in the mood for playing. Giving up, he suggested Diego and Victoria should take a walk, hoping the fresh air and the beautiful roses would lift Victoria's mood.

In the garden Diego led Victoria to a secluded area where they wouldn't be overheard, drawing her into his arms and caressing her.  
“I love to have you in my arms, and I'm happy that I no longer have to play a role in your presence but maybe we should stop spending the nights together until we are properly married. As soon as you're pregnant we won't have much time to find a solution to get married without de Soto getting suspicious. I don't want to put you in any danger.”

Victoria shook her head. “No, I don't want to wait any longer. I want to have your child, and I want to have it now but this time I will keep it.”

Diego looked at her shocked. “We had a child? You never told me that.”

“Everything was perfect. We were married and going to have a child but then de Soto arrested you as Zorro. When you died, I lost our child too. It was the last thing I remembered before I woke up yesterday to find out it hadn't happened.” Victoria couldn't hold back her tears as she clung to him, sobbing heavily.

“Querida, it's all right,” Diego held her tight as he tried to grasp the fact that they had lost a child during the previous time he couldn't remember. “We will have a child again, and we will both take care of it. I promise you.” 

“We need to get rid of de Soto now,” Victoria urged him. “I can't see you die another time.”

“And I can't see you die again either.” Diego bent down to kiss and caress her while he mourned with her to loss of their child and trying to cope with his memories of Victoria's death. When they heard his father calling them, they broke apart and Victoria wiped her tears. 

“Excuse me,” she murmured to his father as she hastily passed him by to retreat to her room in the hacienda.

“Did you two have a fight?” his father asked Diego. “Why was she in tears? What did you say to her to upset her so?”

“We didn't fight, Father.”

“Then why did she cry? It most be something you said. What did you talk about?”

“I can't explain it now.”

“Is that all you can do? Victoria needs our support now, and all you do is making her cry!”

“I can assure you, Father, that I'm not the reason Victoria cried. If you will excuse me. I'm tired.” Diego headed to his room, lying down on his bed contemplating about their situation while waiting for everyone else in the hacienda to retire. 

Victoria was right they needed to do something now. She could be pregnant already and that didn't leave them much time to find a solution. How long would it take until she couldn't hide it any longer? Six weeks? Two months? Three months? It was not much time compared to the years he had tried to find a way to marry her without being hanged as Zorro. And when he had dared to marry her before, the result had been fatal for him and their child. They needed to find another way and quickly.   
Once he was sure his father was soundly asleep, as his snoring could be heard through the door, Diego slipped into Victoria's room. She had been waiting for him and rushed into his arm, after he had locked the door. 

“Let's get married tomorrow. We can ask the padre to marry us during lunch,” he said.

“Do you want us to get married in secret? Why? Don't you think it is too dangerous? The moment the alcalde finds out you'll be dead! And I can't go through that again.” 

“I want to marry you as soon as possible. I don't care if it's in secret. All I want is to call you my wife.”

The way he looked at her made her realize his intention. “You want us to get married because you don't believe there is a way out of this!”

“Victoria, I don't know what to do. For years, I tried to find a way out of this trap that I created for myself. I can neither marry you as Zorro nor as myself and there is no pardon in sight for Zorro. What do can we do?” he asked desperately. “At least, I have you as my wife if everything goes wrong.”

“Please, don't say that. There must be something we can do. We only need to think about it more.”

“If you believe there will be a way out for us, then marry me tomorrow. Show me that you have faith. We can have a real wedding later.”

“I won't marry you in secret before we haven't thought about this more. Once we made our vows, we won't be able to marry openly again.”

“How do you know that?”

“I asked the padre about it.”

“You did? Why?” 

“I was tired of waiting for Zorro to fulfill his promise to me.” 

“I'm sorry I let you wait so long, but I never found a way how we could be together. And I still don't know.” 

“It's different now. Zorro has officially left me. There must be a way.”

“I'll do everything to be with you, Querida. Just tell me what we can do to be together. And if there is no way for us then I still want to make you my wife even if it's the last thing I do.”

“Please, don't talk like this. I can't bear the thought to lose you. I love you too much.”

“I love you more than my life and tonight I won't let you go.”

Victoria was quiet at breakfast and Diego knew his father blamed him for her unhappy mood but there was no use telling him the real reason behind it. It was hard to explain to someone who hadn't gone through the same experience as him and Victoria. How could he make his father believe that the had seen each other die though nobody else remembered it and still they were alive again, faced to find an impossible way to get officially married without the alcalde hanging them. He had tried so many years and now there was so little time left.  
Would they have another chance if they failed again? Why was this happening at all? How was it possible?

“I don't know what's going on between the two of you but I suggest you fix it,” his father said, commenting on their depressed mood, as noone said a word.

“Is there anything we can do for you, Victoria?” Alejandro asked. “What are you plans now for the tavern?”

“I will drive to the bank in Santa Paula and check it with them. My brother expects me to sell the tavern for ten thousand pesos, but I still have to pay back a mortgage of two thousand pesos, so they won't give me the ten thousand I need,” Victoria explained, sticking to the story they had agreed on.

“You shouldn't go there alone, Victoria,” Alejandro said. “Without Zorro protecting you, it's too dangerous for you to drive on your own. I'm sure Diego can interrupt his experiments or whatever he's doing to accompany you.” His father looked at him sternly.

“Of course, it will be my pleasure to join Victoria,” Diego agreed. “I have some business there too.”

“Then it's settled,” Alejandro stated. “You can drive to the bank on Monday and tomorrow we will go to Don Emilio's party together. I want to see you dancing and smiling again, Victoria, after all the bad news you received recently.”

“No,” Diego protested immediately before Victoria could reply. “I don't think that's a good idea, I mean,” he searched for an explanation before he continued, “I have urgent business there that can't wait until Monday.”

“You almost make me believe you don't want Victoria to go to the party. What's wrong with it? Only because she has lost her tavern?”

“No, I don't want to go to the party either, Don Alejandro,” Victoria said. “If Diego goes to Santa Paula tomorrow, I will join him. I must not delay my talk with the bank and tomorrow is a good as any day.”

“I still don't understand why you can't wait and go to the party instead. What is so urgent that it can't wait?” Alejandro said. “Don Emilio will be disappointed if you don't come to his party, Diego, and also many Señoritas who are expecting to dance with you,” his father teased him. “How will you ever find a woman to capture your heart if you never go to parties?”

“Maybe I have found her already, Father,” Diego said, as his father gasped a surprised Who?

“Don't bother me with your matchmaking plans. You will get your grandchildren sooner or later.” Diego looked in Victoria's direction who preferred to stare at her breakfast instead. “Are you ready to go back to the pueblo, Victoria?”

“Yes, I'm ready.” She rose from her seat. “Thank you for your invitation last night and your hospitality, Don Alejandro.”

“I'll tell the stable hand to get your cart ready,” Diego excused himself and left the room.

“Did you and Diego have a fight last night?” Alejandro inquired. “Diego denied it but I can't really believe it.”

“We had a kind of fight,” Victoria admitted, thinking about their disagreement to get married secretly today, “but don't worry we will work it out.”

“Then you weren't crying last night because of something Diego said to you?”

“It wasn't his fault, Don Alejandro.”

“I'm relieved to hear that, Victoria. I know you have a hard time now with losing the tavern and Zorro leaving you at the same time. Do you really think he left you because you have no more money? Don't think so low of him. I believe you should give him another chance.”

“It was Zorro's decision to leave me now, and no matter what's his reason, it's the best if we continue with our lives separately.”

“You don't believe he will come back? The pueblo needs him. There is nobody else.”

“Then the pueblo should think of another way than to depend on the life of one man! Zorro could be dead tomorrow. And then? What will you do when Zorro is hanging from the gallows?” The memory made Victoria burst out in tears.

“I'm sorry I shouldn't have talked about Zorro with you,” Alejandro apologized, just as Diego returned.

“What's going on here?” Diego snapped, concerned to see Victoria crying and frustrated that he couldn't take her into his arms in his father's presence as he longed to. 

If she were already his wife, nothing would keep him away from her anymore. Why wouldn't she agree to marry him today? Then at least, they could enjoy the time they had however long this might last. She'd be a honorable woman if something happened to him. He would need to consult the padre again and ask him if it really wasn't possible to renew their vows in a public ceremony after they married in secret.

“I'll take Victoria back to the pueblo,” Diego announced. “Any talk about Zorro isn't helpful, Father. You should rather think what you will do now that he's left.”

“I understand why you want us to get married today,” Victoria said on their way back to the pueblo, “but can't we try something else first? There must be a way to get rid of de Soto. After we convinced everyone that I lost my tavern there's no more danger from Don Pablo abducting me, and we have time to think of our other problem.”

“Has anyone asked you about your letter from your brother?” Diego asked. “You should be able to present it just in case Don Pablo isn't convinced yet.”

“I haven't thought about that. Do you think it's necessary?”

“If you give me another letter from your brother I can forge one today. Now that my time as Zorro is over I have nothing better to do anyway.”

“Please, Diego, don't be so depressed. I love you and nothing can change that.”

“And I love you, Querida. Maybe there is another way to get married, but I won't do anything that will endanger you.”

“And I don't want to see you killed.”

Victoria put her hand on his, smiling at him. Holding hands as long as they were alone, they drove to the pueblo releasing their hands when it came in sight.

Diego waited in the kitchen while Victoria fetched a letter from her brother, so he could copy his handwriting. She handed him a piece of paper reluctantly. “Here, take it. There's not much personal in it.”

“I know it's bad manners to read your private letters, and I would never ask this of you if I didn't think this was necessary to prove our story that you lost your tavern. The alcalde is dangerous, and we need to be careful.”

“I know how dangerous the situation is. I have seen you die! And I never want to go through it again. That's why I think you should stay home tonight.”

“You don't want to marry me, and don't want to see me tonight either?” Diego asked, hurt. “Are you unhappy about us?”

“No, it's not that. I love you, and I don't want to lose you but we need to be careful. As Zorro, you could visit me without being seen in the night, but you can't do that as Diego.” She pointed at his white shirt. “If someone spotted you, the alcalde would hang you immediately as Zorro.” She rose to her toes and kissed him. 

“We will spend the whole day together in Santa Paula, and I love to be in your arms. Let's not risk too much here in Los Angeles.”

“You're right, Querida,” he sighed, “but I miss you every minute I'm without you.” After a quick kiss, he returned home.


	18. Chapter 17

Diego spent the rest of the day in the cave because the forging of the letter took him longer than he had anticipated. Copying Ramon's handwriting was the easiest part, but he needed to find the right words and describe the loss of the tavern accordingly, so there wasn't any doubt about the sender of the letter. After that, he had to dye Toronado's mane to disguise him for his trip to Santa Paula like he had done previous times before. Since Felipe was no longer there to take care of the stallion, he couldn't leave Toronado behind if he didn't want to reveal his secret to his father.

His work kept him occupied, but he couldn't help missing Victoria and worrying about their dangerous situation. When he had become Zorro for the first time, he had planned it to be a one time solution to get his father and Victoria out of prison without having to face the consequences, but after all these years he didn't know how to find a way out where he or Victoria wouldn't be hanged for it.

The next morning Diego got up early, as he could hardly await for Victoria to arrive for their drive to Santa Paula after he had missed her in his arms the night before.

“At least, you get up in time when you have to accompany Victoria to Santa Paula,” his father remarked at breakfast. “It's rare I get to see you this early in the morning.”

“Victoria needs my help, and I wouldn't let her down now that Zorro is no longer around to protect her,” Diego stated.

“Don't think you can replace Zorro when you accompany Victoria, Diego. Zorro could defend her and scare off potential attackers on the road by his presence alone. But you …, Let's say you will be safer in each other's company. When will you return? If you hurry you can be back in the late afternoon and still go to the party.” 

Diego tried to hide his hurt as his father's disparaging remarks and played along instead. “I don't think we will make it back early. It will take some time for Victoria to discuss everything with the bank manager, and we both have other errands to run too. It will be safer to stay in Santa Paula for the night instead of traveling late, so we won't be back in time for the party.”

“I would have liked you to come because it's time for you to finally get married. I'm not getting any younger, and I want to see the family line continued.”

“I know what you want, Father, and there's no need to repeat it every other week,” Diego said annoyed, concentrating on his food for the rest of breakfast until Victoria arrived.

“Are you ready, Diego?” Victoria asked after the two de la Vegas had stood up to greet her.

“Yes, I am, except I forgot one thing from the library,” Diego said.

“What did you forget?” his father asked.

“I didn't pack a book. Since we will be staying in Santa Paula, I need a book to read for tonight,” Diego explained.

“You and your books, Diego,” his father said, annoyed. “If you weren't reading so late every night, you could get up earlier in the morning and help me more with the hacienda.”

“I'll try in the future,” Diego promised. “Will you help me select a book, Victoria?” He took her by the arm and drew her to the library.

“Did you really forget your book?” Victoria asked when they were alone.

“No, of course not,” Diego grinned. “I only wanted a moment with you in private. I can't ride alongside you for hours without being able to kiss you because we have to be careful about people passing by.” Taking her hand, he drew her to the fireplace, and with his other hand, he pressed the hidden button to open the secret door. Once the door was open, he pulled her through. “Come quickly.”

“What is this? Your cave? It's right behind the library?” Victoria looked around.

“Yes. I'll explain it to you another time but now I want to hold you.” Diego drew her into his arms and held her tight. “I missed you so much last night. I want to have you in my arms and kiss you for as long as I can.”

After some time, they broke apart again. “We need to go back before my father comes looking for us,” Diego said, gently caressing her cheek. 

“I know, and we will have the whole day for ourselves while we are in Santa Paula,” she smiled.

Checking the spyhole first, Diego led her back to the library shortly before his father came in.

“Are you still here? I thought you had left already fifteen minutes ago. You shouldn't keep the horses waiting outside any longer.”

“I couldn't decide, which book to take,” Diego said, “but we will be on our way. Adios, Father. Until tomorrow and enjoy the party.”

He opened the door to lead Victoria outside where he helped her onto her cart while he mounted the disguised Toronado.

“You didn't take any book from the library,” Victoria stated as they headed for the road to Santa Paula.

“I don't think I will have time for reading a book when I'm in such a lovely company,” Diego grinned. “I'd rather spend the time with you.” 

Victoria blushed as she thought of the night they'd be spending together in Santa Paula though they would pretend to stay in separate rooms.   
“Aren't you afraid someone might recognize Toronado when you're riding him in the open?” She changed the topic, pointing at the horse.

“It works fine after I spent the whole afternoon yesterday to disguise him,” Diego assured her. “Not even my father recognized him today while I had him waiting in front of the door. I dyed his mane and changed his look as much as possible, using a different gear too. I couldn't leave him behind without Felipe to care for him, and I used this disguise successfully when I traveled to Devil's fortress with him.”

Z~Z~Z

In Santa Paula, they went to the bank for their different affairs and Victoria consulted the bank manager about her options for selling her tavern. Though the letter from her brother was only a ruse, she wanted to stick as close as possible to the impression that she had lost all her money. She had also to consider her future with Diego. If they managed to find a way to get married without getting killed, she would have no more time to work in the tavern when she had a child to care for, or maybe they would need the money if they had to flee the territory.

Diego waited outside the bank until she was finished, and he could discuss his own money with the bank manager. Besides paying his bills, he discussed how much of the money he could withdraw without having to consult his father first just in case he needed it quickly. He had never been so close to a future with Victoria and so close to losing her at the same time and had to consider all his options.

They spent the rest of the day walking around together in Santa Paula, pretending they were simply good friends while doing some shopping before returning to the guesthouse for dinner and retreating for the night.

The next morning they attended the morning mass in Santa Paula and later talked to the padre about their chances to get married secretly and have an official wedding later. The padre couldn't give them another answer than Padre Benitez in Los Angeles, explaining that they couldn't give their vows a second time after they had entered matrimony. Even if they wanted to get married immediately, they would have to wait for another week since weddings weren't performed during the upcoming Holy Week.

Depressed, they drove back to Los Angeles while they tried to think of a solution to get married without the alcalde getting suspicious. Leave California for the American territory or a country in the south of the continent? They didn't want to leave California and their families and friends but was there another way? Diego told Victoria of the options he had considered and dismissed again over the years while he had tried to find a solution on his own. In his heart, he had still hoped he could marry Victoria as himself without the alcalde arresting him as Zorro but after this had turned out so deadly the one time Victoria had told him of, he couldn't risk going through it again. There had to be a solution but, which one? There wasn't too much time either if they wanted to get married in the next few weeks.

“Do you want to come for dinner tonight?” Diego asked as they neared Los Angeles.

“No, I wish I could, but I can't. I have to work after I was away nearly two days,” Victoria said.

“What's wrong?” Diego asked, noticing her unhappy face. “Are you missing me so much?” he teased her.

“No, it's not that ... I mean I do miss you, but it's because of the patrons in the tavern,” she said miserably.

“What's wrong with the patrons? Don't they behave respectfully around you? There hasn't been an incident in the past weeks that you couldn't handle.”

“Yes, but that was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before Zorro told everyone I had lost the tavern.”

“Why did that make a difference?” he asked, concerned. “We only told that lie so Don Pablo wouldn't try to abduct you and force you into marriage any longer.”

“Yes, but ...”

“But what? Please tell me what's going on.”

Victoria sighed. “Since everyone believes I have no more money, they treat me differently.”

“Differently how?”

“They think that I have lost everything and will need some money and ..”

“And what?”

“That I'm desperate enough to.. you know .. spend some time with them,” she said ashamed. 

“They suggested you would do that? Who said that to you? I will challenge them and tell them to keep their hands from you,” Diego said furiously. 

“You can't challenge them! If you do, then de Soto will find out you're Zorro.”

“Then Zorro has to come back!”

“And how will we get married then?” 

“I don't know.”

“You said yourself that you can't go on as Zorro anymore without Felipe's support. And I don't want to worry about your safety any longer. Please, Zorro can't return.”

“But I can't stand by and do nothing while you're harassed in the tavern,” he said angrily. “Just tell them you still own the money.”

“I can't do that either because Don Pablo will try to force me into marriage then. I will endure and tell my customers to behave.”

“But something has to be done if they don't behave. Why didn't you say something before?”

“I just wanted to forget about everything while we were in Santa Paula.”

“We need to find a way out soon. I can't let you suffer because of me.”

“I will manage, Diego,” Victoria tried to assure him, putting her hand on his. “We will find a way out of this.”

“I will think about what I can do. Maybe I'll do my work for the newspaper in your tavern instead of my office. I won't let you down.” He squeezed her hand gently.

“Thank you, Diego. I know I could always count on you. We will find a solution. I'm sure.

Z~Z~Z

The conversation with Victoria about her harassment troubled Diego after he returned to the hacienda. They hadn't expected any negative consequences when all they had wanted was to keep her away from Don Pablo. So besides finding a way to get married, they also had to do something about the tavern.  
Should they call off the bluff and set Victoria straight again as the owner of the tavern? If they did that, they needed to look out for Don Pablo again, and it had ended badly twice already. What else could he do? He couldn't sit in the tavern all day and play her guardian and he couldn't fight for her without exposing himself as Zorro, and their sudden closeness would be suspicious. His father interrupted his thoughts as he welcomed him back.

“Diego, how was your trip? Was Victoria successful at the bank?” Alejandro asked.

“Unfortunately, it was as expected. The bank won't give her the ten thousand pesos she needs because she hasn't repaid the mortgage completely. She has to figure out what to do next,” Diego said, as he stuck to their story about the tavern.

“I will tell her that she can count on us if she needs any help. Victoria is like family to me and I will do whatever I can to help her.”

“I told that already, Father, and I'm sure she will come to us if she needs our help.”

“Maybe we should buy the tavern or act as guarantor for the bank. Victoria is a hard-working woman, and I trust her to do everything to pay back the money though I still can't understand how her brother could do that to her and leave her penniless after she worked so hard for the tavern. It's a shame he did that,” Alejandro said enraged. “How can she go on now? Zorro left her, and she would have been a good catch with her tavern but now her chances are bad.” Alejandro continued to rant about Victoria's brother while Diego thought about his father's words. 

Maybe this was a way out without the alcalde getting suspicious. He would need some money quickly, but he couldn't go back to the bank since it was closed during the Holy Week until Easter, so what could he do? He started to smile as a plan formed in his head. It would keep him busy for the rest of the day, and he hoped Victoria would agree to it.

“How was Don Emilio's party yesterday?” Diego shifted the conversation to distract his father  
from Victoria's problems, and his father was all too willing to tell him everything about the party, stressing again that Diego and Victoria should have been there.   
When his father had made his point and continued about his frustration with Diego's unwillingness to get married, Diego excused himself to slip into the cave to work on his plan.


	19. Chapter 18

Diego had worked the rest of the evening and much of the night in his laboratory in the cave, so he was ready on Monday morning to ride to the pueblo. Carrying a large white cotton bag, he walked into the tavern. Supporting the bag with both hands, implying it was heavy, he drew the eyes of the patrons on him as he placed it onto the bar, the content clinking like metal coins. 

“Buenos días, Victoria,” Diego said cheerfully, winking at her with a smile as he was standing with his back to the patrons. “I have the solution to your problems with the bank.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused as Diego hadn't told her about his plan, hoping it was a good one that wouldn't get him killed as Zorro.

“Yesterday, you told me that the bank won't give you the ten thousand pesos because there is still a loan on the tavern. So, I will give you the money for the tavern instead.” Diego untied the cord around the bag and reached inside. As he pulled his hand out again, he displayed some gold coins on his palm. “These are one thousand pesos in coins and there is more...” Letting the coins fall back into the bag, he reached inside again to pull out a small bag made of black velvet. Opening it at the top, he spilled its content on his palm, showing it to Victoria and the patrons gathered around him who had left their tables to have a better view.  
“Since I didn't have so much gold at home, the rest of the money is in the form of these emeralds,” he explained as he took one of the stones between his thumb and his forefinger to hold the clear crystal against the light. Before anyone could take one of the stones, he put the emerald together with ones on his palm back into the bag. “The money and the emeralds together have a worth of ten thousand pesos, which is the money you want for your tavern. We only need to take the money and the jewels to the bank, so they can give me the deed.”

“Does it mean my tavern belongs to you now?” Victoria asked.

“Yes, it's either me or you find another buyer quickly,” he stated, “but I doubt that it will be so easy to find someone else who's willing to pay the loan on top.” 

“Can we talk about this in private, Diego?” 

“Of course, I understand this is quite a surprise for you.” Diego put the jewels back with the money and followed Victoria into the kitchen with the bag in his hands.

“What's your plan, Diego?” she asked, turning around to face him, once the curtain had closed behind him.

“To get married to you and to have you in my arms,” Diego said, dropping the bag on the kitchen table, so he could draw her into his arms and kiss her. “I missed you last night and don't want to let you go.” He held her tight, caressing and kissing her.

“I want that too,” she whispered, coming back to her senses, “but I need to know what you're up to! What's your reason you came up with the idea to buy my tavern? And where did you get all that money since you didn't take it from the bank in Santa Paula?”

“I have been thinking about this mess we're in the whole time after you told me how the patrons treated you differently after you announced you lost your tavern and when my father suggested helping you with the money I had this idea.”

“And how will this help us with our problems, Diego? I don't understand what you want to achieve with buying my tavern, and you haven't explained where you got the money either.”

“If I officially own the tavern, I have reason to spend much time around you in the tavern, and I can make sure you will be treated right.”

“How will you do that without revealing you are Zorro?” Victoria asked, suspiciously, but he could see that the prospect pleased her.

“You will be my servant and,” Diego couldn't finish his sentence, as Victoria interrupted him.“Your servant? I will never be your servant. Don't think you can order me around, Diego de la Vega!”

“I'd never do that, Querida,” he said quickly to appease her. “At least not when we'll be alone.”

“But you will do so in public? Why do I like the idea even less by the minute? Wouldn't it be better to call this off and tell everybody that I still have my tavern? There must be another way to deal with Don Pablo after his debts have become public.”

“It may help us to get rid of the alcalde too if you give this a try.” Diego took her hands and looked her in the eyes. “I know this won't be easy for you but can you trust me?”

“What is your plan with the alcalde?” Victoria asked, but before Diego could answer, they heard the loud sounds of a soldier's boots heading for the kitchen.

“I think the sergeant is coming.” Diego quickly released her hands. “Please, accept my offer to buy your tavern.” 

Victoria nodded quietly, shortly before the sergeant divided the curtain to the kitchen and looked inside. “Will your discussion with Don Diego take much longer, Señorita? Can you bring us more drinks before you continue? My men and I are dying of thirst.”

“I'm coming, Sergeant.” Victoria refilled a jug to take it to his table.

“We'll talk more later,” Diego said, as he followed Victoria back into the main room after he had picked up the bag with the money again.

In the meantime, the alcalde had come to the tavern and by the way he looked curiously at Diego and Victoria, the patrons must have informed him about Diego's announcement to buy the tavern.

“Did you buy the tavern from Victoria, Don Diego?” the alcalde inquired.

“Yes, I did, Alcalde,” Diego confirmed. “And it's good to see you as I was just going to talk to you.”

“What's your business, Don Diego?” de Soto said cautiously, as Diego hardly came for a talk of pleasantries.

“I'm afraid the money isn't safe in the tavern, and I don't want Victoria to get robbed until she has time to take the money to the bank. So, would you mind if the money is stored in the pueblo's safe? I'd feel much safer about it if the sergeant and your soldiers were guarding it.”

“We will take good care of it, Don Diego,” the sergeant assured him, pleased by Diego's praise.   
“Nobody will rob the safe while my men guard it and only the alcalde has the code to open it.”

“Of course, you can put it in the pueblo's safe though I don't understand why you don't put it in the safe at your hacienda, Don Diego,” the alcalde agreed.

“This would hardly be proper since it's no longer my money but that of Señorita Victoria. I can't have the tavern, and the money at the same time,” Diego explained.

In the company of Victoria and Mendoza, Diego walked with the alcalde over to his office to put the bag with the ten thousand pesos into the safe. The alcalde locked the safe with his code assuring him that nobody else would be able to open it. Diego didn't care to mention that he had opened the safe as Zorro before and that it wasn't as safe as the alcalde wanted him to believe.

Once they had returned to the tavern, Diego invited the alcalde to a drink at the bar in exchange for storing the money in the pueblo's safe.

“Alcalde, I'm really grateful that you allowed me to store that money in your safe. I don't want Victoria to be robbed because of it.”

“Of course, de la Vega,” De Soto agreed.

“We will guard your money well, Don Diego,” Mendoza added, joining them at the bar and signing Victoria to bring him a drink too.

“This is really a lot of money you have there in your safe,” Diego said. “With the bounty money for Zorro, the money for the tavern and the taxes, it should be is nearly twenty thousand pesos.”

“Don Diego, please don't talk so loud about it. Your talk will only attract robbers,” Mendoza said, looking around anxiously.

“I really hope I didn't make a mistake to buy the tavern. I need to check your books, Victoria, to see if the tavern is worth it,” Diego added.

“You want to check my books?” Victoria asked, irritated. 

“The tavern belongs to me now, and it gives me the right to check your books. Don't worry, I do believe I made the right decision. Otherwise, I wouldn't have declined the offer from my friend in Spain.”

“What offer?” the alcalde asked. 

“A friend recently wrote to me from Spain, suggesting me to return to Madrid with the next ship. During the war with Napoleon, many young men were killed and now the noble families are desperately looking for husbands with even minor fortunes for their daughters. I could have my choice of women if I wanted.” 

He took a sip from his drink pretending to ignore Victoria's angry look at him. “But why would I do that?” he continued. “I don't need to rely on my family's fortune with our ties to the King to have the nobles throw their daughters at me. So, why would I leave California within the week to head for Madrid when I'm not interested in returning to Spain and getting married.”

“Everyone knows you're not interested in getting married,” de Soto added.   
“No, I'm not interested in those court politics and leaving my home country. Of course, if I were a minor noble without connections like you,” Diego hinted at the alcalde's status who made a sour face at his remark, “I'd grab that chance and take the next ship for Madrid.” 

“My family may not be that well off like yours, de la Vega, but that does not mean we're without connections,” de Soto rebuffed him for his remark. 

“Of course, Alcalde, why would you return to Madrid to marry into a noble family when you have to stay here until you have caught Zorro? That glory will be enough to bring you success on your return in a few years or whenever you manage to catch Zorro,” Diego said. 

“Zorro is hard to catch, and now he has left,” Mendoza said. “I think Zorro will never be caught.”

“Nobody asked you for your opinion, Mendoza. Catching Zorro is why I came here,” De Soto declared in a sour mood. “And that is why I need to get back to work. Stop lingering at the bar. You're a soldier, not a barkeeper.”

“Si, mi Alcalde.” Mendoza followed him out of the tavern.

“We need to talk, Diego,” Victoria demanded, motioning him to follow her to the kitchen.

“What is this all about, Diego?” she asked when they were alone. “This talk with the alcalde and getting married in Spain? And why do you want to see my books? The tavern is still mine.”

“Querida, I'll explain it to you later when we have more time but would you mind giving me the books later? It will be a good excuse for me to spend some time in the tavern and your lovely company.”

Victoria's mood softened at his words. “Fine, I'll give you the books but you'll have to explain a lot later,” she agreed.

“I'll see you at siesta.” Bending down to her ear, he added, “Mi Querida,” smiling at her happily.

Z~Z~Z

“Father, I have found a way to help Victoria,” Diego said during lunch with his father at the hacienda. “In fact, I must thank you for suggesting it.”

“What do you mean? How do you want to help her?” Alejandro asked, confused.

“Didn't you say we should give Victoria money to help her? That's what I did. I bought the tavern from her today,” Diego explained.

“You bought her tavern? How could you do this? Don't you know that Victoria depends on her tavern? And where did you get the money? Is that why you went to the bank in Santa Paula? To take the money from our bank account? Without asking me first?”

“Everything is fine, Father. There's no need to get angry. Victoria agreed to sell me the tavern since it's better she sells it to us than to some stranger, and I would never take the money from with bank without consulting you.”

“Victoria agreed? I don't like the idea but maybe you're right. Then where did you get the money if you didn't take it from the bank?”

“I still had some money from my mother's inheritance that I never used. It was enough to buy the tavern,” Diego shrugged.

“You used your mother's inheritance to buy the tavern? I won't say it's a good investment but I must say it's a surprise,” Alejandro said. “What about Victoria?”

“We didn't have the time to discuss it all but we will do so during siesta,” Diego explained.

“Yes, I believe you have a lot to talk about.”

When Diego returned to the tavern, his visit was already anticipated not only by Victoria but also by her patrons who had heard about the transfer of the tavern to him. After congratulating him on the tavern, they left Victoria and him alone to discuss their business.

“It looks like I no longer need an excuse to see you during siesta,” Diego grinned, pulling her into his arms once she had locked the door behind the last customer.

“We have business to discuss,” Victoria said.

“Business? I have better ideas than doing business.” Diego bent down to kiss her.

“What could be better than going through business journals?” Victoria teased him as she took him by the hand and led him upstairs. “Don't think you can evade my questions again. I want a full explanation of your plans later.” 

“I'll tell you everything. I promise.” Diego agreed.

When Diego left after siesta he was relieved that Victoria had agreed to his plans though she didn't like some parts, but she was willing to help in the hope of a future together.


	20. Chapter 19

The next day he came to the tavern mid-morning, and he had just time to greet Victoria before the alcalde entered.

“De la Vega, my soldiers just informed me of your arrival. I wondered when you would come,” the alcalde greeted him. “Did your longing for beauty sleep keep you from coming earlier?”

“I slept well, Alcalde, but I don't know why my sleep should be any of your business?” Diego answered.

“It's my business as long as you have your money stored in my safe. I want my soldiers relieved from their extra watch duty for it, and I can't do that until you take it to the bank in Santa Paula.” 

“Ah, I understand, Alcalde. Did you think I was going to the bank in Santa Paula today? Then I must disappoint you. I don't plan to go to the bank today.”

“Are you not going there today?” the alcalde asked, surprised. “It may be a little late already but you can still make it.”

“I must have slipped from my mind to tell you yesterday that the bank is closed this week because the banker wants to spend the Holy Week with his daughter in Monterey and won't open again until next Monday.” 

“Monday? You want me to guard your money until Monday? “

“I didn't think this would put so much strain on your soldiers. Maybe you should ask for reinforcements if you have too few men in your garrison.”

“My men are well-trained. They will manage without any reinforcements, de la Vega,” the alcalde rebuffed him.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you that the bank was closed,” Diego said, while Victoria served him his coffee on the bar, “but I have a question. Shouldn't there be more money in the safe? About twenty-thousand with the bounty money for Zorro? It appeared to be missing as I only saw the money from the taxes and the money I put inside.”

“The money is there, but it is stored separately,” the alcalde declared, annoyed. 

“If there is more money, shouldn't it be in the safe too?” Mendoza asked, who had just entered the tavern.

“Mendoza, what are you doing again here in the tavern?” the alcalde asked. “Didn't I tell you to guard the safe?”

“Si, mi Alcalde. I came over to ask when Don Diego will take the money from the safe.”

“Don Diego won't go to Santa Paula until Monday,” the alcalde explained.

“Does that mean we will have to guard it for the whole week?”

“Yes, but I'm sure you and your men will do a good job,” Diego said, making Mendoza beam.  
“And what about the other money, Alcalde?” he asked.

“What other money, Mendoza?” the alcalde inquired.

“The one you were talking about when I came in. The one that isn't in the safe.”

“You mean the bounty money for Zorro,” Victoria said. “I remember Zorro told me once the late alcalde hid it in a special place.”

“Did Zorro also tell you where?” de Soto inquired, eagerly.

“Yes, he did.”

“And where was it?” de Soto asked.

“I don't recall,” Victoria said apologetically, “but maybe it will come back to my mind. I haven't thought about it for years.” 

“I would be very grateful if you'd remembered where,” de Soto said.

“All those years there was a bounty on Zorro's head that you didn't have?” Victoria rebuked him. “Not that it matters since you could never have caught him, and now that he's gone you won't need it anymore, but it's interesting to know.”

“Then you must have taken the money you gave me for endorsing you from the normal taxes. No wonder the pueblo was always so poor,” Diego stated.

“Is it true what the señorita says that you never had the money?” Mendoza inquired curiously.

“That's none of your business, Mendoza. The money is there. It's only hidden,” de Soto explained. “You'd better go back to work and guard the safe.”

“Si, mi Alcalde.” Mendoza followed the alcalde out of the tavern.

“Wasn't that interesting?” Diego grinned. “Too bad, you can't remember where the money is.”

“Maybe I can think about it. The alcalde will be very grateful,” Victoria smiled.

“You should try to help as good as you can.” Diego winked.

After a private word and some kisses in the kitchen, Diego sat down at one of the tables with a stack of Victoria's bookkeeping journals, pretending to check them and occasionally doing some calculations on a slate beside him. The reason he stayed in the tavern wasn't only to give the impression that he was serious about his ownership of the tavern but he also waited for a chance to protect Victoria from the unwanted advances she had told him about. He didn't have to wait long for the patrons to file in for lunch. 

While it was getting busier, most of the customers behaved but there was a group of young caballeros that used to hang around with Don Pablo. Since his debts had become public, he had stayed away from the pueblo but his friends still came to the pueblo and the tavern regularly, to Victoria's dismay who tried to make the best of it.

Diego wasn't friends with them though they were close to his age and only about five years older. When they had entered the tavern, they had only taken notice of Diego with a short nod before they sat down at their table.   
Victoria and her helper Alicia rebuffed their advances firmly, but they weren't impressed and laughed instead. Diego signed her and when she came to his table she told him she could handle it and there was no need to intervene.

Diego wasn't convinced but before he could walk over to the men's table, he was interrupted by his father who had spotted him from the entrance of the tavern.

“I knew I would find you here, Diego.” Alejandro took off his riding gloves and sat down opposite his son. “Are you inspecting your new property?” He pointed at the ledgers on the table. “I don't think you'll find a surprise inside. Victoria has always been a good businesswoman and knows how to keep her money together. Too bad you can't say that about her brother. It's a shame what he did to her, leaving her with nothing.” 

“Yes, everything seems to be right,” Diego said distracted, keeping an eye on the men, especially, Don Javier, who was well-known for his bold behavior towards women of lower status. 

“Don Javier and his friends are harassing the women again,” Alejandro said, following Diego's gaze, “but I believe Victoria has it under control.” 

“I hope so,” Diego sipped at his drink, keeping his eyes on Victoria. When she walked to the kitchen to refill the jars, Don Javier followed her, prompting Diego to rise from his chair too. 

“What will you do, Diego?” his father asked, surprised. “Victoria can take care of herself.”

“Zorro used to be there to defend her but now he isn't around anymore,” Diego said quietly. “It's my tavern now, so I'm responsible.” His father looked at him with respect.

When Diego parted the curtain that divided the kitchen from the main room, Javier had Victoria in a firm grip around the upper arm while she struggled to get free.

“Leave her alone, Javier,” Diego said with barely hidden anger.

“Diego! Stay out of it,” Victoria uttered a warning to him as she noticed his voice, which was too much as Zorro's for her liking. 

“The Señorita is right,” Don Javier said. “We're only having a conversation which is none of your business.” 

“But it is my business, Javier,” Diego corrected him politely. “You must have missed the fact that the tavern now belongs to me, and I can't let you keep my servants from their work.”

Victoria flashed her eyes at the word 'servant'.

“Your servant?” Don Javier looked at her condescendingly, letting her go. “I thought she was your friend?”

“Victoria is a friend of the family but since I own the tavern, she also works for me,” Diego explained. “As her employer, I must ask you to leave her alone and let her do her work.”

“As you wish, Don Diego.” Javier looked down on her before he left the kitchen. “I won't mess with your servants.”

“Are you all right?” Diego asked.

Victoria nodded, rubbing her arm where Javier's grip had left red marks. “It wasn't necessary to call me your servant,” Victoria said angrily. “Did you notice how he looked down on me after that? I guess he has shared that with all his friends when I return.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you,” he said, whispering “Querida, I wished it could be different.” 

“I wished that too.” She understood what he wanted to say. They both wanted the situation to be different where they no longer had to deny their love, and he could be himself without hiding behind one mask or the other. “I trust you.”

“Thank you.” 

“What happened in the kitchen?” his father asked upon his return. 

“Javier tried to harass Victoria, and I told him to leave her alone,” Diego stated, picking up his drink again.

“Did you call her your servant?” Alejandro inquired. “This is what I heard Javier say when he came back to his table.”

“Yes, I did,” Diego admitted, taking another sip.

“How can you treat her so? Victoria is our friend! How can you call her a servant!”

“But that's what she is now.” Diego put down his glass. “She works for me now.”

“She's like a daughter to me, and I won't let her be mistreated, neither by you nor by Don Javier!” Angrily, Alejandro rose from his chair and walked over to Don Javier's table. “Don Javier, you know that Señorita Victoria is a friend of my family, and the fact that she lost her tavern doesn't change it. If you continue to harass her and her helpers, I have to reconsider the way-leave you wanted to discuss with me. You'll have to find a different way to get your cattle to your pastures instead of crossing de la Vega land.”

“This has only been a misunderstanding, Don Alejandro,” Don Javier said meekly. “I was only having a chat with the Señorita. I don't want this to come between us and interfere with our business.”

“Then we understand each other.” Satisfied, Alejandro slipped his gloves through his hand.

“That will teach him to behave,” Alejandro said to Diego back at their table. “I know how much he depends on the way-leave across our lands. And his 'friends' are not better. They all want to do business with us.”

Under the disguise of checking the books, Diego stayed during siesta to spend time with Victoria while his father returned to the hacienda. 

“My father was very angry that I called you a servant today,” Diego said, leaning against the kitchen table while watching Victoria making preparations for dinner.

“I would be angry at you too if you hadn't explained it to me before,” Victoria glanced at him over her shoulder.

“It wasn't nice, but now the others are aware that you are under the protection of our family. If my father hadn't stepped in, I would have reminded him too of our business connections.”

“I still don't like it very much.”

“I'm sorry, and I'll to make amends for it.”

“How? I know what you else have planned.”

“Yes, my father will be even angrier with me, but it will get you closer to me.” He turned her around to gently caress her face.

“That's the only reason why I agreed.”

“I'm sure my father will step up again for you, as long as he doesn't know how much I care for you.” He drew her into his arm to kiss her.

“If you keep doing that I won't get dinner ready,” she chided him with a smile. “After you kept me from working during siesta.”

“I'll leave you to your work. I can't wait to see you again, mi Querida. Adios.”


	21. Chapter 20

On Thursday morning, Victoria brought the alcalde his morning coffee at the tavern as usual.  
“Señorita Victoria, I heard what happened in the tavern,” de Soto smirked.

Though she guessed what it was about, she feigned ignorance. “I don't know what you're talking about, Alcalde.” 

“Don Diego owns the tavern now, and he made clear that you are his servant now.” De Soto couldn't refrain to tell her.

“At least, I still have my work,” she countered. “It could be worse if someone else had bought the tavern and told me to leave. The de la Vegas treat their servants fair, and I will have more security than if I were on my own.”

“So you will continue working in the tavern even though it's no longer yours?”

“There's nothing else I can do. I'm neither a man who can do as he likes nor do I have the money to go to Spain and buy me a spouse. Who knows maybe the man who gets the money from my tavern will exactly do that and become a nobleman in Spain with my money,” she said angrily. “Those who can will go back to Spain before Mexico takes over and all the others will have to remain here.”

Victoria noticed the alcalde pondering about it as she left his table, hoping her remarks were pushing him in the right direction. As planned, Diego entered the tavern a few minutes later, after waiting in his newspaper office for the alcalde to walk over to the tavern before coming too. 

“Good morning, Diego,” Victoria greeted him. “A coffee as usual?”

“Good morning, to you too,” he walked over to the bar where Victoria was standing. “A coffee would be nice.”  
As Victoria headed for the kitchen to coffee for him, Diego turned around to face the other customers in the room.

“Are you here again to inspect your property and supervise your servants?” the alcalde smirked. “Haven't you checked all the books already?”

“I read enough to be sure I made a good investment,” Diego replied, “though there will be some changes to make this more profitable.”

“What kind of changes?” Victoria asked, placing his coffee in front of him on the top of the bar, though they had already discussed this privately.

“The tavern should be better equipped to accommodate families that are traveling through Los Angeles, therefore a larger room is needed.”

“I only have one large room. What do you want to do? Make a big room out of two others?”

“There is another room – the one that you occupy,” Diego stated.

“You want me to move out of my room? But it's mine! Where should I stay?”

“I want you to move into the small room near the kitchen.”

“But that's only a storage room, and there's no place for a bed inside,” she objected.

“The storage room and your room will have to be modified and newly equipped for their new purposes. I have already talked to the carpenter to come over today and take measurements. In the meantime, you can stay at the hacienda until the remodeling is complete. I'll tell the servants to get the room ready for you tonight.”

“Tonight? You want me to move tonight?” Victoria asked genuinely surprised, as they hadn't discussed that. 

“Yes, the sooner the carpenter can start, the better. I'll send a servant to help you to put your stuff on your cart later,” Diego confirmed, “but now I must be on my way to San Pedro before it starts raining. There is a ship from Spain at the harbor, and I don't want to miss it before it's returning to Cadiz on Saturday. I need to send some mail to friends and family, and I don't want to risk it with the next ship in June.”

“What's wrong with the next ship?” Victoria asked on cue.

“As you probably know, when it's summer here in California, it's winter in the southern part of the continent. The voyage around Cape Hoorn is always dangerous due to the fierce winds and dangerous seas, but in winter it's even worse with icebergs and bad weather. The next ship may no make it around the cape. Don't you agree, alcalde?” Diego addressed him. When the alcalde didn't answer while swallowing his drink, Diego continued instead. “But I remember, you arrived here in winter, so you took the voyage when it was summer at Cape Hoorn, wasn't it so? You took the safe travel time.”

“Yes, it was summer at the Cape when I rounded it, but I don't know why this should be of your concern, Don Diego,” the alcalde replied, angrily after he could speak again. “Don't you think you should rather care about your own business? The money for the tavern is still in my safe, and you don't have the deed for the tavern from the bank and any rights to the tavern yet.”

“I'm sure the money is safe with you and your soldiers until I can take it to the bank in Santa Paula on Monday. Since Victoria has agreed to the sale, getting the deed is only a formality, and the sooner I can start the remodeling the better,” Diego said. “I'll see you in the evening, Victoria.” With a short nod, he left the tavern.

“Don Diego thinks he has made a good investment, Señorita Victoria. Do you still think so too?” the alcalde smirked. “Now you are his servant and will have to give up your room?”

“This is none of your business, Alcalde,” Victoria rebuked him. “Why don't you take care of your own? What about the bounty money for Zorro? Haven't you found it yet? I think I may remember what Zorro told me about its hiding place in your office.”

“You do? Where is it?” the alcalde asked, interested.

“I'm not sure. I have to see it,” Victoria said evasively.

“It would be very nice if you could come over to the office and have a look,” the alcalde said pleasantly, putting several coins on the table, much more than the amount he normally paid for his coffee.

“I have to think about it,” Victoria said. 

“You would do the pueblo a great favor if you helped to retrieve what should belong to the public,” the alcalde stated, 

“I'll have a look,” Victoria agreed, as she cleared the table and took the coins.

Z~Z~Z

Together with the alcalde, Victoria walked over to the alcalde's office where Mendoza was sitting in a chair on the porch pretending to guard while he was in fact dozing.

“Mendoza! Are you sleeping again?” The alcalde called him out, forcing the surprised sergeant to wake up suddenly and sit straight in his chair.

“I wasn't sleeping, Alcalde,” he stammered, “only looking down.”

“I think I saw a rattlesnake a few days ago,” Victoria said. “It's always good to be on the lookout for them.” 

“Rattlesnakes? In the pueblo?” the sergeant looked nervously at his feet, ready to jump if he saw one.

“There is no rattlesnake, Mendoza,” the alcalde chided him. “You need to come inside now. The Señorita agreed to show us where the late alcalde has hidden the bounty money for Zorro.”

“Do you know where it is, Señorita Victoria?” Mendoza asked, surprised. “Why didn't you ever say something?”

“I didn't know it wasn't in the safe until I had a look inside. And why should I be interested in Zorro's bounty money when nobody could catch him anyway? But since he's gone, the money should go to the pueblo and help the people.”

Followed by the two men, Victoria walked into the office and stopped in front of the desk. Looking around she did a full turn on the spot. “I don't know exactly where the hiding place is. Zorro only mentioned it once to me. He said the late alcalde hid it where he could keep it in his sight. Did you already look for it here in the office?”

“Yes, I did,” the alcalde admitted grudgingly.

“I don't think it's in the office but rather in the bedroom where he could guard it at night,” Victoria said, proceeding to the next room where the alcalde's bed was located in the center.   
“If it were in one of the wardrobes, the alcalde would have found it by now, so I think it has to be hidden under the floor next to the bed.”

She walked near the bed and stomped a little on the floor. “This sounds hollow.”

The two men pushed the rug away and knelt on the floor to examine the wooden boards. “I don't see anything,” the alcalde said.

“But it has to be here somewhere,” Victoria insisted, walking to the other side of the bed. “Maybe here?” She walked over to another part of the room where the wooden floor was visibly uneven and one board was dented.

Before the alcalde could object more, the sergeant grabbed a rifle and hit on the floor with the broad end, leaving a big hole in the floor next to the bed. He knelt and removed the board that was now broken. “There's nothing inside. No money, only dust.” Mendoza lifted his head and sneezed loudly.

“Mendoza, what have you done! You made a hole in the floor! And for what? For nothing,” the alcalde fumed. “I don't even believe you have an idea where the money is, Señorita.”

“I know it has to be here,” Victoria defended herself.

“I don't care anymore. Make sure the floor is fixed tonight, Mendoza. I will ride to the harbor too. There could be important messages from Madrid, and I don't trust those lazy post coaches to take care of it in time.”

“Si, mi Alcalde,” Mendoza said miserably.

“We can simply move the rug, so it covers the hole,” Victoria suggested. “The alcalde won't notice.”

“That's a good idea. I will call my men to help me.”

“But what about the money?” Victoria asked. “Are you giving up so easily?”

“I don't want to destroy more of the floor.”

“Yes, I understand that but think of the pueblo. The alcalde could raise your pay, and you could eat in the tavern more often.”

“More money for the soldiers? That would be...,” Mendoza stroked his belly. “delicious.”

“If the money is not in the floor, it has to in the ceiling,” Victoria declared.

“Why in the ceiling?” Mendoza asked, confused.

“Because Ramone wanted to keep it in his sight, so when he was lying in his bed, he could look at it.”

“That makes sense, Señorita.”

“You need to send up your men and check the roof,” she demanded, pointing up from the bed, “exactly there.”

“Won't the roof tiles break if my men walk on them?”

“What is more important, a few broken tiles or 6000 pesos?”

Giving in, the sergeant sent a few of his men to climb on the roof and check for the money there as Victoria requested. The men didn't find anything, leaving Mendoza miserable because now his men had broken the roof tiles with their heavy boots, and in addition some tiles slid from the roof and shattered on the ground, leaving a big hole in the roof over the alcalde's bed. 

“It will be alright, Mendoza. The alcalde won't notice it when he goes to bed at night, and Zorro no longer roams the rooftops either to pay him a visit,” Victoria assured him, hoping Diego was right with his prognosis of the weather and everything went according to plan.


	22. Chapter 21

In the evening Victoria arrived at the de la Vega hacienda with several bags on her cart that a servant helped her to unload.

“Victoria, it's nice to see you,” Alejandro said surprised. “Are you staying for dinner? What's going on? Why do you have all this luggage?”

“Didn't Diego tell you?” she asked. “He said there would be a room ready for me.”

“I haven't seen him the whole day after he told me in the morning about his intention to go to the harbor.” Alejandro called the housekeeper to ask about Victoria's room who told him that Diego had ordered a servant's room made ready for her.

“A servant's room? What did Diego think? You are no servant, Victoria. You're a friend and our guest.” Alejandro immediately ordered to prepare the guest room instead she had occupied on previous visits. “I will tell Diego that he can't treat you like this. He can neither call you a servant nor treat you like one only because he bought the tavern from you. I understand the times are hard for you, but you can still count on me and my family.”

“Thank you, Don Alejandro.” She was grateful for his support, feeling guilty at the same time for not telling him the truth about the whole situation, but she trusted Diego's decision that it was safer not to tell his father everything until they were securely married without the threat of the alcalde to hang him as Zorro. A servant carried her bags to the guest room and she started unpacking, knowing this wasn't only for a night as on other visits.

“Victoria?” Diego knocked at the door of the guest room his father had assigned her. At her call, he slipped in quickly and closed the door behind him.

“Did your father tell you where I am?” she asked.

“No, I haven't talked to him yet but I knew where to find you without asking.” Diego smiled and took her into his arms. 

“Did you check the other room first?”

“No, there was no need. I knew my father would never let you stay in a servant room. He cares too much about you though not as much I.” Diego bent down to kiss her.

“The servant room was only a ruse?”

“You would never have stayed there. It's either in this guest room or in my arms. Whatever you prefer.”

“I want to stay in your arms for the rest of my life.” She wrapped her arms around him, returning his kiss.

“Soon. If everything goes as planned, we can get married soon. Did everything work out in the pueblo?”

“Yes, I could persuade Mendoza to search for the money on the roof while the alcalde decided to ride to the harbor too. Of course, they didn't find the money and only left a big hole in the roof and another in the floor as well. The alcalde won't be pleased when he returns home tonight.”

“I certainly hope so.” Diego laughed. “You must have been quite convincing. I didn't know you were such a good actress.”

“I can act too and will play my part if it brings us closer to getting married.”

“I don't want to wait any longer, but at least I can have you in my arms at night while you're staying at the hacienda during the renovations.”

“Can I assume the renovations of the rooms at the tavern will take some time?”

“I guess it will take a few weeks. You know it is so complicated to decide which furniture and ...”

Victoria mockingly slapped him on his arm. “You can't fool me. You only want me to stay here at the hacienda.”

“Would that be so bad?” he smiled, but then he turned serious again. “I'm sorry that this will inconvenience you so much. I know you will have to get up earlier each morning to drive to the tavern when you could have slept there instead and the same in the evening too.”

“Being with you is more worth than the hour of sleep every day. I don't mind that, Diego.”

“Then we have to make sure my father doesn't guess anything, or he'd do everything to keep us apart until we're properly married.”

“Yes, we need to be careful. You should better go.” 

“Yes. I should.” Diego made no attempts to release her from his arms and continued to kiss her.

“Go now,” she said again.

“I'll see you at dinner.” Diego released her and carefully checked the hallway before he slipped out of her room. 

“Diego, I need to talk to you.” His father spotted him on his way to the dining room and motioned him to join him in the parlor. “I want to tell you that you can't treat Victoria this way. First, you call her your servant in her own tavern, and then you treat her like one by ordering her to stay in a servant room. I will not have that! I gave Victoria the guest room she used before, and I won't let you treat her as a servant. Victoria is a friend of our family, and I want you to respect that. I can't understand what is going on in your mind. You bought that tavern from her without consulting me, and now you developed an attitude towards her that I cannot accept. Money does not give you the right to treat others as servants. I thought you had understood that.”

“Of course, Father,” Diego agreed. “I will talk to Victoria and apologize to her.” 

“If we have that settled, we can have dinner as soon as Victoria joins us,” Alejandro said, satisfied.

During dinner, Diego talked about his visit to the harbor and the ship leaving for Spain on Saturday morning. “I also saw the alcalde talk to the captain. I wonder what he wanted.”

“He wanted to check on the mail because there might be important messages from Spain for him. At least that's what he said,” Victoria explained before she continued to tell about the ill-fated search for Zorro's bounty money.

“I wish you could find the money,” Alejandro said. “Now that Zorro has left, there is no more need to have it ready for the day Zorro was caught, but I'm not surprised our alcalde never had it even though he was so intent on catching him.”

“Zorro was too careful to let the alcalde catch him, and de Soto knew it,” Victoria said.

“The money is needed in the pueblo and not to be spent on Zorro who has always defended the people and...” Before Alejandro could continue he was interrupted by a peon bursting into the room, breathing heavily.

“Patron, Señorita Victoria, you have come to the pueblo. There is a fire in the tavern,” he exclaimed.

“My tavern? That can't be!” Victoria leaped to her feet, bursting into tears.

“Manuel, tell us what happened!” Diego demanded, who had stepped next to Victoria, putting his hand on her arm to comfort her.

“Some bandits, I don't know their names, came into the tavern and asked for Señorita Victoria. When Señorita Alicia told them she wasn't there tonight, they didn't believe her and demanded Señorita Victoria to show herself and to lead them to Zorro, because they wanted revenge for Zorro sending them to prison.”

“So the men were after Zorro and not after Victoria?” Diego asked.

“Si, Don Diego. When they realized they couldn't get to Zorro, they rampaged in the tavern and set it on fire.”

“My tavern!” Victoria cried in horror.

“What happened then?” Diego asked.

“I don't know. Someone called the soldiers who started to fight the fire immediately, and I was told to come here and get you .“

“Thank you, Manuel, for coming. We will go to the pueblo at once,” Alejandro said.

While his father left the room, ordering the servants to get the carriage and a horse for himself ready, Diego took the crying Victoria into his arms to comfort her. 

“My tavern. It's gone!”

“Querida, we don't know that yet. Let's check on the situation first. We can always rebuild it depending on the damage.”

“I know but..”

“Do you want me to ride ahead or go with you in the carriage?”

“Stay with me, please.”


	23. Chapter 22

Halfway on their way to the pueblo, they got into a heavy rain cloud that had been pouring over Los Angeles for some time. Diego and Victoria were glad to be in the dry carriage while his father decided to ride ahead to get out of the rain.

The plaza was deserted, and only Mendoza and three of his men were present, sheltered from the rain under the porch roof of the alcalde's office. Despite the pouring rain, Mendoza walked over to them, when they left the carriage to stand under the porch roof of the tavern. 

“Mendoza, tell me what happened.” Diego looked at the tavern that had no more windows on the ground floor and was showing black holes instead.

“It was bad. The three bandits wanted to take revenge on Zorro through Señorita Victoria, and when she wasn't there they went rampage.”

“Where are they now?” 

“They are dead. The alcalde ordered my men to shoot them when they came out of the tavern,” Mendoza explained. 

“And the fire?”

“You must see for yourself, Don Diego. If it hadn't started to rain, the whole building would have burned to the ground, but we could extinguish the fire before it took to the upper floors.”

“It could be worse,” Alejandro said, who came from inside the building, stopping at the entrance that had no more doors, wiping his soot-covered hands with a cloth. Victoria had said nothing, staring at the tavern in shock, but when she wanted to go inside, Diego held her back.  
“Wait here. Let me have a look first. It may not be safe.”

Together with his father, he headed inside to inspect the damage. “I think the main beams are still intact,” Alejandro said, pointing at the beams that were supporting the upper floor, checking one with his hand pushing slightly. Then he walked over to another, doing the same.  
“The fire must have been broken out here, near the kitchen,” Diego said. “The damage from the fire is the greatest here and…” Diego suddenly couldn't go on as he saw himself in the burning house, trying to get to Victoria who was calling for him from the top of the stairs surrounded by flames. Before he could reach her, the upper floor collapsed on top of her.   
“No!” he cried out. 

“Diego? You are shaking. What's wrong?” his father was standing next to him. “Why did you shout? Did you find this beam unstable?”

Diego came to his senses and realized it must have been a déjà vu, an alternate version of events, like the other times he saw Victoria die. He wiped across his face, trying to erase the pictures of Victoria dying in the flames, coughing from the lingering smoke. “It must be the smoke, Father. I need fresh air.”

At the same moment, the sergeant called from the door. “Don Diego, it's Señorita Victoria. She has fainted.” Diego rushed outside where Victoria had slumped to the ground in a big puddle of mud and water which grew larger by the rain every minute.  
“Victoria?” Diego crouched down beside her and put his arm under her shoulder to raise her upper body, not caring that the mud stained his jacket and soaked his sleeve. She opened her eyes and stared at him. “I saw you die in the fire,” she whispered. “It was so real.” With her hand, she reached for his face. 

“It's all right. I had a déjà vu too,” he soothed her, as he picked her up to carry her back to the carriage, the rain mingling with her tears.

“I can't go inside the carriage,” Victoria protested. “I'm soaked and dirty all over. I will ruin the carriage.”

“It doesn't matter. When we get back to the hacienda, you can have a bath and get changed.”

“Diego? Victoria? Are you all right?” his father asked who had followed him out of the tavern.

“Victoria is quite shaken by the events,” Diego explained. “I will have to take her back to the hacienda. It's getting dark, and there's nothing we can do here anymore. We need to continue tomorrow when we can see more and it's no longer raining.”

“You are right, son. I will come with you,” Alejandro said, mounting his horse. “Mendoza, make sure that nobody enters the tavern. It may be unstable, and we don't want any plundering either.” 

Mendoza bowed. “Si, Don Alejandro. My men will be on the watch.” At that moment, the alcalde stormed out of his office in a disarranged state, limping visibly. It looked as if he had hastily put on his pants with his nightshirt on top.   
“Mendoza, what have you done to my room?” he yelled. “My whole bed is soaked wet, and I injured my ankle from the hole in the floor! You were ordered to fix it!”

Diego grinned at that, knowing exactly what was going on, after Victoria had told him about the futile money hunt in the morning, making him forget their worries for a moment. Hopefully, the alcalde would be miserable enough with a leaking roof and no more glory to gain that he made the right decision.

Z~Z~Z

Back at the hacienda, Alejandro called it a day, and they all went to their rooms to change into dry and clean clothes and retire for the night. Diego ordered the servants to prepare a bath for Victoria, so she could warm up again and relax.

A little later Diego knocked at Victoria's door and slipped inside at her call. She was already in bed, but sitting up and waiting for him.

“Are you feeling better?” Diego sat down at her bedside and took her hand to kiss it.

“Yes, much better. It was a shock to see my tavern like that, and then to see you die again...” She hid her face behind her hands.

“It must have been a déjà vu, something that we lived through before like the other times,” he explained, taking her hand in his again.

“Is that how it's called? But this time nothing has changed.”

“We must have done something right this time, so we're still here,” he pondered.

“In the déjà vu, as you call it, we were in the tavern, and you tried to save me from the fire but today I was here at the hacienda.” She stared at him. “Did you know about the fire and made me leave my room already today for that reason? What happened in your déjà vu?”

“No, I had no idea there would be a fire. My own déjà vu happened at about the same time as yours. I think it was similar to what happened in yours, except that you died in the flames. We never seem to see our own death but always the other one's.”

“Then why did you ask me to come here already today? We hadn't planned the day of my move from the tavern to the hacienda before.”

“I didn't know about the fire, but I heard about the release of the bandits from prison while I was at the newspaper office, and I wanted to keep you safe,” Diego admitted. “It was the right decision knowing what could have happened if you were there. And all your valuables were saved too as you put them in your bags and came here with them.”

“You should have told me about the bandits instead of simply ordering me to move.”

“I didn't want you to worry, and I couldn't tell you in the tavern with the alcalde and your other patrons listening. I still have to pretend I don't care for you so much.”

“There's nobody else here now,” she whispered. “You know longer have to pretend, and I want you to hold me. I should get used to seeing you die, but I simply can't. I need your touch to know you're here and it's not real.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“You don't have to ask.” Diego closed his arms around her, knowing she felt the same as him. They weren't married yet but seeing each other die had torn down any restraints to be replaced by the need to spend the time they had together as it might be the last time without knowing if they would be given another chance.


	24. Chapter 23

“Did you know about the bandits coming to Los Angeles? Was that the reason you decided to have her move here?” Alejandro asked Diego at breakfast the next morning while they were waiting for Victoria to join them.

“I heard about their release earlier,” Diego admitted.

“Did Victoria know why you wanted her away from the tavern?”

“She didn't know before, but she does now as she guessed it later,” Diego said.

“What is going on between you and Victoria?” Alejandro asked.

“What are you talking about?” Diego made a blank face.

“I saw how she cried in your arms last night when Manuel brought the message from the pueblo, and you didn't let her go until much later.”

“Victoria is a friend, and I care about her,” Diego admitted.

“The question is how much do you care about her and how much does she care about you? Zorro is gone, and she's lost everything. What will she do now? She wants to get married but her former relationship with Zorro and the loss of her tavern will make it difficult for her.”

“Victoria wouldn't marry for money. Don't you know her at all?”

“Money will always sweeten a marriage when you're desperate. I don't want you to get hurt, Diego.”

“I won't. I can assure you that.” 

“I see Victoria as a friend and the daughter I never had, but you are my son, and I don't think a marriage will work if the feelings are one-sided. I want you to marry someone who feels the same about you as you about her and not a marriage of convenience.”

“I want the same kind of marriage as you had with my mother, and I would never marry a woman who only wants my money.” 

When Victoria entered the room a few minutes later, he and his father politely rose from their seats. Standing in front of her, Diego suddenly felt the urge to take her in his arms and tell his father everything about Zorro and their feelings for each other but then remembered again how messed up their lives were, and he couldn't stand losing her one more time only because he became impatient now. 

Some of his emotions had to be reflected on his face because Victoria stared at him. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, I'm fine.” Diego sat down again and picked up his cutlery, so he wouldn't reach out for her hand.

“We will go back with you to the pueblo and check on the tavern with you,” Alejandro said.

Z~Z~Z

In the daylight and without the rain, the tavern didn't look as bad as the day before. Alejandro's initial assessment proved to be right. The main beams were intact though covered with soot. The fire had damaged mainly the ground floor while the upper room and the balconies had been spared because the fire had been extinguished quickly in the rain.

“This will take a lot of work to clean everything up,” Victoria stated.

“It won't be so bad. You'll need new furniture and some paint then it will be looking good again,” Diego assured her.

“What are your plans with the tavern now, Don Diego?” the alcalde approached them as they were standing in front of the tavern. “Are you still happy with the investment?” he smirked. “The señorita was lucky she sold you the tavern before this. This is no longer worth ten thousand pesos.”

“I just explained to Victoria that it isn't so bad. I had planned some renovations anyway but of course, it will take some time until the tavern can open again,” Diego said. 

“When can we eat there again?” Mendoza asked who heard overheard the conversation.

“Oh, I don't know yet,” Diego said, “but I hope it will be ready until Pentecost or maybe until Ascension day.”

“But that's fifty days or even forty days until then!” Mendoza exclaimed, aghast. “Alcalde, can you imagine the pueblo without the tavern for the next seven weeks? You will have to eat with the garrison too.”

The alcalde who looked as if he hadn't slept all night glared at Mendoza angrily. Diego noticed how   
his expression suddenly changed as if something had snapped. Reaching for the sword by his side, the alcalde stepped behind Victoria, grabbed her from behind, and put the sword at her throat, almost cutting her.

“I have enough of this rotten pueblo at the end of the world with no culture or food or anything decent,” he shouted.

“Alcalde, what are you doing?” Mendoza exclaimed.

“Everyone take a step back or the Señorita will die,” de Soto ordered.

“Let her go!” Diego growled as Victoria struggled to breathe without getting killed by the sword.

“Step back!” de Soto said commanded again, “or do you want me to slit her throat right here?”

His determined voice and Victoria's fearful expression, made the de la Vegas and Mendoza do as he said.

“Let her go,” Diego said more softly. “We can discuss this.”

“Stop talking, de la Vega,” the alcalde snapped at him. “I've had enough of your talking the past years. Now, everybody listen!” De Soto turned around with Victoria still in his grip and faced the crowd that had come to the plaza earlier and now gathered around the tavern.

“I intend to leave this pueblo forever with the ship tomorrow, but I will not leave before I haven't gotten rid of the nemesis of this godforsaken pueblo, Zorro!”

“No blasphemy, Señor,” the padre chided him. “This pueblo is fully named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula. (The village of our Lady, the Queen of Angels of the River Porciúncula) The Franziscans who founded this village named it after the home village of their founder Francisco de Assisi, Santa Maria del Angeli in Italy, and the river after the chapel Porciúncula in that village. I'm sure this village is blessed by its name, and the Lord has not forsaken it but looks down on us.” The padre made a cross.

“I understand, Padre, why you and Don Diego get along so well. You both like to lecture,” de Soto said, annoyed by the interruption, “but let's talk about Zorro again. I am not convinced that he has left the area, and I'm sure he is still around. Therefore,” de Soto let his gaze sweep among the crowd, “I will give him two hours to present himself or the Señorita will die.”

“No!” Victoria cried. “Zorro must not come. He will be shot!” The terror in her eyes convinced Diego that she probably had a kind of déjà vu again where she had seen him die. At the same moment, he had another déjà vu himself. He watched Victoria sacrifice herself as she made a move that slit her throat before the alcalde could shoot him. Her throat covered in blood she died in his arms. For a moment, he covered his face with his hand. 

“Diego? Is something wrong?” his father asked. “You look as if you are about to faint.”

Unable to speak, Diego shook his head. 

Alejandro turned back to face the alcalde. “You can't do that. Let her go! She is an innocent woman.”

“She was Zorro accomplice all the time and is by no means innocent. Either Zorro dies or she dies. Zorro has two hours.” De Soto looked around again while he walked slowly back to his office with Victoria in a tight grip. “Two hours! And one thing more.” He pointed at the de la Vegas. “Don Alejandro, you will bring me your horses, Dulcinea and Esperanza.”

“Why do you need my horses?”

“Esperanza is my horse,” Diego objected, irritating both his father and the alcalde.

“Nobody cares if your horse or your father's, Don Diego. I want these horses because they are the fastest in the area and I don't need anyone chasing me on my way to the harbor.”

“Toronado is still the fastest horse, and you won't escape Zorro,” Victoria said. 

“You never stop to contradict me, Señorita, don't you?” de Soto said annoyed, tightening his grip again. “But let me assure you that Zorro won't chase me because he will be dead after I'm finished here. Unfortunately, I couldn't inform the bandits in time yesterday that you weren't in the tavern last night, or we would no longer have this problem today. Now, I have to take care of it on my own before I return to Madrid. As a bonus, I will take your tavern money and marry a noble Señorita in Spain as Don Diego decided to rather stay in this rotten pueblo.”

“You! You made the bandits burn my tavern!” Victoria accused him.

“This should convince you that I'm serious,” de Soto admitted.

“You are insane, de Soto,” Alejandro said.

“You have two hours to return with the horses, de la Vega. The same as Zorro. Or the Señorita will die.” De Soto dragged Victoria into the office and locked the door. “Two hours!” he shouted through the locked door. 

“We need to go back to the hacienda and get the horses,” Alejandro said, “but what can we do about the alcalde?”

“I don't know. Either Victoria or Zorro will die,” Diego said, despondent.

“You can't be sure about that.”

“Trust me. I know. And I have no idea how to prevent it.” Diego knew that both his and Victoria's déjà vus had been real.


	25. Chapter 24

Diego thought about his dilemma on their ride home to the hacienda. How could he keep Victoria alive without getting killed himself? He trusted Victoria's statement that de Soto intended to shoot Zorro or kill Victoria if he didn't come. Zorro had no chance if he was directly confronted with a pistol at a short distance. What could he do? Considering the déjà vus, it seemed he had tried several options before which had all ended in disaster. How could he make a difference this time?

“I don't think Zorro will come to the pueblo in two hours,” his father said, entering the hacienda. “Zorro has left, and even if he is still around as the alcalde assumes, it doesn't mean he will make it in time. It's obviously a trap and will only get him killed.”

“If he doesn't come, Victoria will die!”

“I believe this is a desperate attempt by the alcalde to fulfill his promise to kill Zorro before leaving for Spain. It will be safer for all if Zorro stays away. The alcalde may have gone insane but not so crazy to kill Victoria.”

“You are wrong, Father. De Soto has no scruples to kill Victoria.” Diego started pacing up and down the parlor, desperately going through his options, discarding them one after the other.

“It won't help Zorro or Victoria if you make holes in the floor by walking up and down the room, Diego, and it drives me crazy too! We should get the horses and ride back to the pueblo. Maybe we can talk to de Soto and make him see sense. I don't want anyone to get killed today.”

Diego turned around and stopped pacing, staring at his father. “I think I have an idea, but I need your help!” 

“How will your idea help Victoria or Zorro?”

“I'm Zorro, Father, and if you don't help me, you will see me die!”

“You are Zorro? But that can't be, can it?” His father's eyes grew wide in shock, as the sudden realization hit him. “You can't die, Diego. You are my only son! You can't go to the pueblo! You have to stay here.”

“I won't let Victoria get murdered by the alcalde. I have to go and confront him. Will you help me?”

“I will do anything to keep you alive. What do you want me to do, Diego?” his father stared at him desperately and determined at the same time. 

Z~Z~Z

Two hours after the alcalde had issued his ultimatum, Zorro rode into the pueblo with the two requested de la Vega horses in tow.

At the sight of Zorro, de Soto came out of his office with Victoria in front and his sword at her throat.   
“So good to see you, Zorro. I knew you were still around,” de Soto smirked. “You brought the horses but where are the de la Vegas?”

“Don Alejandro came on his own, and Don Diego didn't agree to give you his horse, so he stayed at home.” Zorro dismounted Toronado to confront de Soto.

“I can imagine Don Diego sulking at home,” de Soto said. “It doesn't matter if he likes it or not. Let's finish this today, Zorro. You will die, and I will go home.” De Soto showed the pistol at his hand, pointing it at Zorro.

“Are you such a coward that you need to hide behind a woman? Why don't we solve this like real men?” Zorro drew his sword and stepped forward.

“I don't care for your swordplay anymore, Zorro. You will die from my bullet.”

De Soto raised his pistol and unlocked it. 

“No!” Victoria struggled in de Soto's grip, indifferent to the sword at her throat and almost cutting herself.

Zorro raised his hand. “Please don't do this. I don't want you to get hurt, Victoria.” On his request, she ceased struggling. “Not so fast, Alcalde. Allow me to raise some objections.”

“What objections?” de Soto asked, irritated. 

“First of all, I insist you let Victoria go, and second I want a final duel.”

“Why should I do that? You're as good as dead.” 

“Because Don Alejandro is pointing a pistol at you from the balcony of the tavern.” Zorro signed at the tavern and Alejandro showed himself on the balcony with a pistol at hand before hiding again behind a beam. “Don Alejandro is a good marksman and won't miss you from this distance. Now tell your men to stay out of this and let Victoria go.”

“Why should I do that?” de Soto said. “It looks like we have a deadlock here. If Don Alejandro shoots me, I will kill the Señorita.”

“I wouldn't count on that, de Soto. If Don Alejandro shoots you, you will be dead on the spot,” Zorro said, though he didn't want to gamble on it.“I make you an offer, Alcalde.”

“What offer, Zorro? Will you tell me to run or have Don Alejandro kill me? I never expected you to sink so low.”

Zorro raised his sword. “I will give you one more chance to fight me, Alcalde. If you win, you can kill me, and Don Alejandro will stay out of it.” Victoria was about to step forward and say something but his look made her stay silent. 

“And if I don't win?” de Soto asked. “Will you kill me?”

“You should know by now that I don't kill anyone. If I win, I'll let you live and leave with the ship in San Pedro.”

“Not good enough for me,” de Soto declared. “I won't leave here with nothing. It's either your death or I keep the money from the safe.”

“The money belongs to the citizens of Los Angeles. I can't let you have that.”

“You forgot Don Diego's money or is it the Señorita's money? I don't care. She and the de la Vegas have been a pain all these years. They owe me that in compensation for their support for you.”

“It's a lot of money,” Zorro argued.

“Yes, and it will provide me with a comfortable life in Spain, as Don Diego pointed out repeatedly. Since he doesn't want to go back, his funds will offer me the opportunities instead. You can also think of it as ransom money for the Señorita.” He made a gesture as if he wanted to cut her throat. 

“I will let you leave with Don Diego's money but you will leave the pueblo's money untouched,” Zorro agreed. “And you will never return to Los Angeles.”

“I have no intention to ever come back to this .. this.. pueblo.” He refrained from cursing to escape another lecture from the padre who was about to intervene again. “Will I get the de la Vega horses to ride to the harbor? And will nobody chase me and keep me from boarding the ship?”

“I don't see why you would still need the horses when nobody is chasing you, but the de la Vegas will borrow you the horses to ride to the harbor.”

“You could still chase me on Toronado. Don't think you can fool me, Zorro.”

“Are you so sure you will lose that your worry about pursuit?” 

“It doesn't matter what I think, Zorro. I want no pursuit if I win or not. Will you agree on that or not?”

“Agreed. Now let us begin.”

De Soto signed to his soldiers who took down their weapons and made a step backward before he forcefully shoved Victoria to the side, who stumbled and fell to the ground. Immediately people surrounded her, so Zorro couldn't see her anymore, and he prayed that she was all right while he had to return his attention to the alcalde. Zorro lifted his sword for the initial salutation waiting for the alcalde to do the same before they engaged in the fight. 

If de Soto had hoped he could win against Zorro in their final encounter, he had to realize quickly that even his determination to win wasn't enough to overcome Zorro's superior skills. Zorro countered any of his attacks and when the alcalde started to tire, Zorro attacked him with a sequence of quick moves, ending the fight with disarming him. 

Zorro pointed his sword at de Soto's chest. “You should have realized long ago that you will never be a match for me and without your dirty tricks, this fight would have been unnecessary. I won't kill you and honor our agreement to let you go but not without a reminder.” Zorro slashed his Z into the alcalde's vest with three quick strokes. 

“Mendoza!” Zorro called.

“Si, Zorro?” the sergeant stepped forward. “Will you and Don Alejandro make sure that the alcalde won't take any of the pueblo's money from the safe? He's only allowed to take the bag with Don Diego's money. You know how it looks like.”

“Si, Zorro,” Mendoza said.

“I'm glad to help,” Alejandro said, who had left the tavern after the duel had started to watch the encounter from close by and be of assistance if needed.

Zorro walked over to the place where de Soto had shoved Victoria and the crowd made space for him. When he saw Victoria crouching on the floor, he breathed out relieved. She was alive! 

“Are you all right?” Zorro asked, extending a hand to help her up.

Victoria rose again, brushing the dust from her clothes. “I'm fine, Zorro. I only needed a few minutes to catch my breath again.” With her hand, she checked her throat that was bleeding from a thin red line where the sword had cut her. Realizing, how narrow her escape had been, he could no longer hold back his feelings and drew her into his arms for a kiss. Clinging to each other, they relished the feeling of being alive and in each other's arms. 

Then Victoria withdrew her arms from his neck and pulled apart. “It can never be, Zorro.”

“I know,” he agreed, understanding her intention to say goodbye.

“I have no money,” Victoria said.

“I'm an outlaw,” he stated.

“That's it?” Mendoza asked Victoria, confused. “You let him leave like that? You loved each other for years and now you simply say goodbye to each other? How can you let him go?”

“It has been a dream, and we only realized it now when it was over,” Victoria said. “There is no future for us, and we both know it.”

“But that can't be!” Mendoza protested. “You love each other! You were willing to die for each other, and now you let money and being an outlaw keep you apart? What's that kind of reason when you're in love?”

“There can't be a future for us. There never could be,” Victoria said.

“No, it was a dream that can't come true,” Zorro agreed. “I have to go. Goodbye, Victoria.”

“My son and I will take care of her,” Don Alejandro assured him.

For the final time, Zorro bent down to her to kiss her cheek, caressing her at the same time. He whistled for Toronado and mounted him in a run. Riding out of the pueblo, he made Toronado rise and waved back at the pueblo before riding away.

“Zorro is gone,” Mendoza said, depressed. “He was my friend, and I always hoped I would see the day he married you, Señorita Victoria. The pueblo will never be the same, and I can't even get a drink in the tavern to make me forget about it.”


	26. Chapter 25

After Alejandro had seen de Soto on his way to the harbor, he returned with Victoria to the hacienda where Diego was already waiting for them in the library. When she entered the room, he rose from his seat, smiling happily.

“Are you all right? Did de Soto harm you?” The questions had been burning on his mind but he hadn't been able to ask her in detail after the duel with the alcalde.

“I'm fine, Diego,” Victoria confirmed, walking straight into his open arms. “De Soto tied me to a chair while he was packing. He wanted me to tell him where the bounty money was and inquired me the whole time but I could convince him I didn't know when he threatened to kill me. Then he tried to find it on his own by destroying more of his room.” In his mind or was it a déjà vu again, Diego saw dead on a chair and he shuddered, holding her tight. They started to kiss but his father interrupted them with a cough.

“Please, behave. You are not married yet,” Alejandro stated. “You owe me some explanations, Diego. Though you answered some questions earlier when you revealed your secret to me, there is a lot you haven't told me.”

Diego drew Victoria to a seat next to him, putting his arm around her, facing his father in the opposite chair.

“What I don't understand is why you let De Soto leave with all your money. He took ten thousand pesos from you, and you let him leave like that! Why did you do that, Diego?” Alejandro asked.

Diego grinned, drawing Victoria closer to him at the couch and putting an arm around her earning him a glare from his father. “You aren't married yet!” Diego drew back his arm to please his father but took Victoria's hand in his with no intention to release it.

“De Soto will be in for a surprise later when he inspects the money,” Diego smiled broadly. 

“Why? Did Zorro exchange it for stones or something?”

“No, but you must know that only the thousand pesos in coins were real. The emeralds never were. Do you remember when there was this bandit who came back here to retrieve a jewel he had stolen?”

“Yes, the jewel of Guadalupe. Zorro helped to get it back to its rightful owner.”

“The late alcalde tried to keep the jewel for himself, so Zorro tricked him with a fake jewel that I made out of wax. I still had the mold and the wax, so last Sunday I spent some time in my laboratory to create enough fake emeralds to 'buy' the tavern with it. The fake emeralds disintegrate into wax again after a week, so we had to convince De Soto to take the bait and leave with the ship before that happened.”

“I wished I could see de Soto's face when he opens the bag with the jewels,” Victoria grinned.

“They will be only wax now. And his trip won't be pleasant either when he can't pay the captain for the rest of the trip,” Diego added. “I wouldn't be surprised if the captain made him leave the ship at a harbor somewhere on its way in South America.”

“You planned it all? The payment for the tavern was fake?” Alejandro was stunned.

“Yes, because I never lost my money to my brother. The tavern still belongs to me, but we had to make everyone believe it was the truth and pretend Diego had bought it,” Victoria added. 

“Why did you make up that story with the tavern at all? Why did you pretend you had no more money?” Alejandro eyed them suspiciously, as they sat on the couch next to each other. “Why did you go to Santa Paula if it wasn't even necessary? You could have gone to the party instead.”

“We knew that Don Pablo wanted to force me into a marriage for my money and by pretending that I had no more money we could prevent that,” Victoria explained, still shaken by the memory.

“How would you know that?” Alejandro asked, and Diego and Victoria stopped smiling. “What's wrong, Diego? Why are you suddenly so serious?”

Victoria and Diego exchanged a look. “It's hard to explain,” Diego said, lifting Victoria's hand to his lips and kissed it.

“It happened before,” Victoria said slowly. “At least for me, it started the day Don Pablo came into the tavern to ask me to accompany him to Don Emilio's party.”

“That was Wednesday, nearly a week ago,” Alejandro said. “And you didn't go to the party because you weren't feeling well.”

“For you, it was only ten days ago but for me, it was three weeks ago, and it did agree to go to the party with him because I was stupid.” Victory recounted what had happened, leaving out the details about her and Zorro, and how the marriage ended in Diego's death.

“That's a horrible story, Victoria, but none of this happened. It was only a bad dream you had,” Alejandro said.

“I wish it was so,” Diego said, “but it was real, and it happened again.” Diego told what had happened in the version of events that only he could remember where Victoria was killed for shooting Don Pablo.

“What you tell me sounds horrible and very fantastic, but I still believe it was a bad dream you both had.”

“It wasn't a dream, Father, because we had to go through everything again.” Diego explained how they both got back to the day of the invitation and all the plans they made to avoid the previous disasters. Alejandro was skeptical, but Diego talked about the déjà vus they both had and explained how a déjà vu helped him to know the outcome of the confrontation with the alcalde. Diego didn't talk about the other times he saw Victoria die, but his father saw their faces turn white and how they were holding onto each other.

“I'm sorry, Diego, Victoria, this is hard to believe, but I realize that you are telling me what you think is the truth, because how could you have known about today and where I had to be to help you?”

“Then you believe us?”

“Yes, I do, and I don't envy your experience. Losing the person you love is the worst thing to happen. I lost your mother and wouldn't want to go through that again. Imagining to have this happening several times would be the worst nightmare, and I feel with you.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“How do you know this won't happen again? That you won't wake up again Wednesday, waiting for Don Pablo?”

“We don't know, Father, but we can hope. It appears we have done everything right so far because we are still both alive.”

“Then I hope this won't change.”

Alejandro asked in detail what had been going on and was surprised about the extent of their planning.

“What would you have done if de Soto hadn't decided to take the ship to Spain?” Alejandro asked.

“I didn't plan for the tavern to get burned,” Diego said, “but we tried to make his life miserable for him to leave on his own. Victoria's hunt for the bounty money was aimed only at damaging his bedroom and the roof above it when I expected it to rain in the night.”

“The alcalde has probably not slept at all,” Victoria grinned. “Mendoza's men made quite a hole over the bed and with the hole in the floor, there was no way to move the bed either. The alcalde would have needed to move to the barracks with his soldiers if he had stayed another night.”

“Yes, he knew it, and that's why he snapped,” Diego said. “I always hoped that he would simply take the money and make a run for the ship in the night, but I never expected him to snap like this and turn on Victoria.”

“Do you really have no idea where the money is, Victoria?”

“It's not where I made the soldiers search for it. I only pretended to know but maybe Zorro knows?” She turned her head to look at Diego.

“There is a hidden cache in the wall behind the alcalde's desk. I saw the late alcalde use it frequently when I spied on him as Zorro. He used it to hide the bounty money and other valuables because he didn't trust the safe. De Soto never found the cache.”

“Then you can help the pueblo to retrieve the money?” Alejandro asked.

“I think I will help Victoria to remember what Zorro told her about the hiding place and find it,” Diego assured him. “I never wanted de Soto to find it, or he would have tried to take it on his trip too, and I couldn't allow that.”

“You still haven't told me what you had done if de Soto hadn't left.”

“We would have continued like before, pretending Victoria had no more money,” Diego said. “And in her despair, she would have looked for a husband to provide for her who would have been me.”

“I suspected something like that before I knew the full story about you and Zorro,” Alejandro admitted. “I won't be a marriage of convenience I guess?”

Diego and Victoria fully agreed to that.

They had filled in his father about most of their scheming, but Diego didn't bother him with some details as having Victoria close to him as the reason she moved to the hacienda or his expectation that his father would stand up for her when Diego called her a servant or tried to give her a servant room. His father tried to chaperon them now he knew Diego was Zorro, and they behaved while he was present to acquiesce him.

Alejandro tried his best to keep an eye on Diego and Victoria, but since Mendoza had begged him to become acting alcalde he didn't have much time for it. There wasn't much he could do to keep them apart since Victoria was living at the hacienda while her tavern was renovated. 

Victoria 'helped' to find the bounty money for Zorro, and Alejandro could invest it in the irrigation project that had been long delayed. 

The Sunday after Easter, the padre read the banns for Diego and Victoria, announcing their engagement, and their intention to get married on the third week after Easter.

While Diego and Victoria evaded commenting on their engagement, Don Alejandro hinted that Victoria had sought consolation after the loss of Zorro and her tavern and found it in Diego's arms. Don Alejandro demanded they'd get married as soon as possible, which was three weeks later.

They married on the eighteenth of April, the same day Victoria was supposed to marry Don Pablo originally, except Diego was now the groom from the start, and the ceremony went smoothly without any interruptions. 

At the reception at the de la Vega hacienda, Mendoza congratulated them on their marriage though he didn't smile and rather looked like crying.

“Thank you, Mendoza,” Diego said, “but is something wrong? Is your favorite food missing?”

“No, the food is fine. You even have imported black beans. It's just..”

“Just what?”

“I'm happy for you, but still..” Mendoza pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the tears he could no longer hold back. “Zorro was my friend, you know. He and Victoria have been waiting so long to get married and now..,” Mendoza wiped his tears again. “This is so sad.”

“Mendoza, you are my friend,” Diego smiled at him. “And I have been waiting to get married to Victoria for a long time too.” He took her hand, kissing like he had done as Zorro before. “Did I tell you that my father gifted me a large black horse for my wedding? He was so happy to see me married that he said I deserved it.”

“There's no reason to be sad,” Victoria assured him. “I could never get married as long as de Soto was still around. He would have arrested any man I tried to marry and accused him of being Zorro. No matter if it had been Don Pablo Puncheon or Diego. Imagine Don Pablo as Zorro!”

“Imagine that!” Mendoza said. “Or Don Diego.”

Mendoza's eyes suddenly grew wide, staring at them, thinking about the horse while realizing that Diego had just kissed Victoria's hand the same way Zorro did. “Maybe you are right, Don Diego, and you have been waiting to get married for some time.” Mendoza started to smile broadly. “I need a drink to celebrate the wedding of my friend.”


	27. Epilogue

On Christmas, Diego happily embraced Victoria, who was standing in front of the nativity play on the mantelpiece with their newborn daughter in her arms. 

“I have never been so happy,” Diego said. “If you had told me last Christmas, we would be here together with our child, I wouldn't have believed you.”

“I still wonder how this could be possible after all that happened before. I know it hasn't been a dream but still, we are here,” Victoria said. 

“Maybe I can help with that,” an unfamiliar voice behind them said. When Diego turned around, he noticed the white-haired man in the light-blue suit and his yellow boots. He was the angel that showed him one Christmas how his life would have been if he hadn't become Zorro.

“Don Fernando!” he said, surprised. “Why are you here?”

“Who's that? How did he come here?” Victoria asked.

“There's no need to explain how I come and go,” Don Fernando said, “but you asked a question and I'm here to answer it, Victoria. You were right when you say that you didn't dream what happened to both of you, and of course, your child.”

“We didn't dream it?” Diego asked. “Why us? Why didn't you let us die? Do you want me to continue riding as Zorro?” 

“No, everything is fine,” Don Fernando said. “Your role as Zorro is finished, Diego.” 

“Then why are we still here? Will we have to live through that again?”

“No, that is over. You won't get another chance now that you have your child, Diego,” Don Fernando explained. “When you died and Victoria lost her child, it was decided that you were to be given another chance. When her child was killed with her the other times, time was set back again. Without your child, there will be no hope in the future when there will be a need for another defender of the people like Zorro. Now there is a chance that your descendant will make the right choice and rise up to the challenge, as you did it in your time. It's to fight for what is right, though your descendant may not use a sword of steel like yours but another weapon that you can't imagine yet. Merry Christmas to you all!” 

“Merry Christmas to you too,” Diego said, as Don Fernando smiled at him and waved his hand before he vanished again.

“What happened? Where did he go? Who was that?”

“That was Don Fernando. I believe he was an angel who came to tell us why we are here together,” Diego said.

“It wasn't about us,” Victoria said, surprised. “It was about our daughter and our several times removed great-grandson.”

“Or our several times removed great-granddaughter,” Diego remarked. “Did you notice he never said if it will be a he or a she? He only spoke of a descendant. I can very well imagine him talking about a woman if she has you in her ancestry.”

“And you as Zorro,” Victoria returned the compliment, “ I understand now why time was set back when I lost our child and not the moment you died, and the second time when the alcalde killed me though I don't remember, but you still have to explain Don Fernando to me.”

“I will tell you later since Don Fernando's involvement is surrounded by depressing events as you experienced already,” Diego promised, “but let us enjoy Christmas and be grateful for what we have right now. Merry Christmas, mi Amor.”

“Merry Christmas, Diego.”


End file.
